One Piece, The Ultimate Adventure
by 4fireking
Summary: Set in the One Piece universe. Fletcher G. Perkmin is the rival of Monkey D. Luffy. They share a common goal: Fight each other in the Grand Line, and see which on of them shall become the Pirate King.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I'll say this once, I do not own One Piece

Two boys were on an island. Surrounded by a raging ocean, both sitting crossed legs on two stone pillars, their bodies hidden by shadows

" So…. You want to be the Pirate King?" A little boy's voice asked with concern.

" Yes. Nothing can stop me," Another boy's voice said. .

" I just ate a Devil's Fruit. So…. Am definitely gonna get my title."

" Don't be too sure. Tell you what, the next time we meet, it should be on the Grand Line. That's where we'll have our battle to see who will be king."

" Battle? Hmmm…. Me likey. Okay. My name is Monkey D. Luffy. What's yours?"

" My name?" Boy got out the shadows. Gold twinkled from his left eye. " The one, the only…. Fletcher G. Packermen.

_10 Years later..._

In a village far far away, fishmen took over Cherry Village. Once a village that lived in peace and harmony. Until Fishmen took over. Raided houses, soaked everything in water; digests what their hands could create, reporting all updates too their lord. Prince Ooki was the leader of the fishmen tribe.

Supaiku was just one worker, however, stood out from everyone else. He was their average bulk, beige slimy skin, multiple holes around his man-like body, spherical head, three spiky throbs out his bald head, characoal pitched eyes, and only wore brown robes with holes in them.

Supaiku wasn't like anyone there. He disliked misery, liked using a sword unlike anyone else, was gentle-hearted, and dreamed of finding a life outside the sea. He dreamt about being a swordsman all his life, even when he was lifting a log with his hands—let it go-the log rolled away.

" Gyahh!" One fishmen's voice was heard. " Supaiku, you idiot!"

Supaiku saw daydreaming's flaws firsthand. Below him, log rolling down, dozens of fishmen were gathered around one man for their "taxes", and were pushed back by the log's power. Supaiku lowered his head in shame—log smashed all fishmen.

###

Supaiku was accepting his punishment. Boiling oil was poured on his back. His agony outweighed his physique. He couldn't bare the pain.

A shadow hidden by light, left arm the only trace of body, formed into a fish position, creature yelling, " TAKE YOUR PUNISHMENT! DEEP DOWN… YOU KNOW… YOU DESERVE IT!"

Supaiku could hardly breath. He's heard stories: Any fishmen naïve enough to cross their leaders path… Never been _heard_ from again.

Supaiku took a chance, looking deep inside his heard, questioned while stuttering, " M-my… L-lo-rd. Have you ever had a dream? I-I mean… One where you expect great things to happen?"

Leader of the fishmen shared no such ideal. His way of life: Strong prey on the weak. You're born strong; you can be cursed weak. He saw one person too torture:

" I have a vision. Let me give you some advice. Whatever 'dream' you have… Give it up."

Supaiku couldn't believe his ears. Once upon a time: He cherished being around his lord, and would stop anything endangering his health. But, didn't feel the same way as before. He was overly depressed.

" Lord," A voice came from behind his mighty leader. " We've reason to believe a ship is sailing too us. What are your orders?"

The fishmen lord thought of his problem, looking back too Supaiku, thinking amongst himself, smirking, " Let's have Supaiku 'take care' of it. After all… Am intrigued too see him impressing me."

###

Supaiku waited on the sand beach in front of his town. He was scared. He's only been in battles where he practiced swinging his swords around. The katana's, shinai's, tachi's, all weapons he handcrafted from metal and swung at trees with.

Pressure was out of control. He couldn't hear himself think. Things weren't going well. In moment, a person's ship would show up, he was ordered to take down, and he was facing the rules: Kill or be killed.

" _Calm down!" _Supaiku reminded himself. " _Things will be alright. You'll see. Maybe this whole boat's things a hoax. Yeah. Maybe a little practice will get the tension down."_

Supaiku kept a bag of different swords on the beach. He was cautious on how his fishmen brothers would legwork themselves too find profit. He made sure they were in his special place: Under the ground.

Supaiku used his arms and scooped sand out. He soon came across a giant bag with the knot resembling a ribbon. Supaiku loosened his knot—handful of silver bladed swords sparkled out.

" _Perfect. Their all in tip-top shape. But… Which one will I choose. I've already tried a katana. Then there was the odachi I used last night. Maybe…"_

Supaiku picked bag of swords entirely off the ground—dumped them into his backside. Swords were sucked in, whole. Supaiku twitched a little as the swords came inside him. The bag soon became empty. Supaiku dropped his paper-weighted bag on the ground.

" Achhhhh!" Obnoxious voice echoed in the sea, heard by Supaiku. " Accchhhh!"

" _What the hell was that?"_

Supaiku turned towards the sea. He saw a small wooden paddleboat heading straight for him. Supaiku sealed its presence. He had been fully armored, and wasn't afraid. Boat came to the shore. Supaiku rushed in to see it—felt a large smack too his face.

" What's with all the noise?" A lazy person's voice said.

Supaiku didn't even see a fist. Crawling down, afraid of another blow, went back to see the person. The person lazily got up and rubbed his right eye. Male, around the age of seventeen and average height, he had soft baby-like skin, brown eyes, his hair was clean shaven though not bald, lean yet somewhat muscular, wore a brown over coat that hugged his body well, along with some black big pocket shorts with loose belts hang from them, barefooted.

Supaiku forcibly squeezed his neck, bringing his face up to him, yelled out loud, " You are in the territory of my lord! State your business, human!"

Figure surprisingly smiled as Supaiku squeezed him, closed his eyes, mouth wide open, laughing, " HAHAHA! Your funny!"

Supaiku couldn't see the figures movements. He'd grabbed his flatted cheek bones and yanked them. He fondled his cheeks, moving them in circles. Supaiku was in immense pain.

" _This guy's stronger then he looks! What's with this strength?! Maybe he's a Devil Fruit user. If that's the case…"_

Supaiku picked the figure up. He laughed too himself while being heaved. He nearly cried of laughter—Supaiku threw the boy's body into the ocean. A big splash came of figure's body hitting the water. Supaiku patted both his hands, and smiled on his accomplishment.

" Don't worry!" Supaiku tried to reach out. " Am not gonna kill ya! I'll just let you hold down a moment, and calm your ass dow…"

Supaiku looked too the spot—figure broke from the water surface. He heavily breathed from his mouth. Did a front-crawl back to shore. Supaiku stared in bewilderment. Boy reaching the shore—hugging him around the waist.

" Your stupid!" Boy laughed again. " But I like you! How'd ya like to be part of my crew?!"

Supaiku's ears froze from his idea, got riled up, yelled, " Are you fucking kidding me, you bastard! Like hell I'll join you!"

" But, we're so good together."

" Where have you been living?! Am a fishman. Fish-man. I don't associate myself with the likes of humans."

" Nope. Deep inside your heart… I see your _human_ mother."

Supaiku sweatdropped. Only a handful of people knew his mother was human. Especially, not a complete stranger.

" _Maybe he's psychic," _Supaiku pondered. " _If that's the case… Boss will want to have him."_

Supaiku grabbed the boy by his wrists. Trying too immobilize him by crushing him-boy returned the favor—crushing his hand instead. Supaiku yowled while his arm was being crushed. Fishmen were 10 times stronger than a humans; his heritage had to give him 5, however, the boy had him.

" P-please…" Supaiku begged from his pain. " L-let… Me… Go."

" Sure," Boy said excitedly. " But, not until you agree to be part of my crew."

Pain turned too anxiety, unloosened his tongue, able to speak clearly, " Crew? Crew of what, exactly?"

" Pirates, of course! My dream is to become the Pirate King!"

###

Two fishmen were walking along the path to the beach. Their lord became impatient. Their friend left half-hour ago, and hasn't made a signal for help.

One of the fishmen had purple slimy skin, lean, fingertips and hair were jellyfish tentacles, wearing red tattered robes, and yellow eyed.

Other fishman, had aqua blue rough skin, masculine, well fashioned velvet red tuxedo, eyes stood out inches away from his face, and a dorsal fin sticking out his back.

" That Supaiku's such a guppy," Jellyfish fishmen commented.

" Get used to it. He is half-human. Know how their lower-class creatures."

Both fishmen stopped moving along the beach. They saw Supaiku and the boy who washed ashore. Boy was telling him things the two couldn't hear. Supaiku chuckled as he mentioned something.

" What the hell's making him so damn… Happy?"—Jellyfish.

" Beats the hell out of me."—Sharkhead.

###

" So I made this deal with a straw hat kid. He was such a doufus, I love him," Boy spoke in an energetic demeanor. " It's because of our rivalry… I want to meet him in the Grand line… And fight him."

" Tch," Supaiku discouraged. " Your such a twerp. Out of all the millions of pirates trying to enter the Grand Line… Only 10% are good enough to get there. And even when they do make it… Possibilities of making it big are a measly… 1 percent."

" Sounds like fun!" Boy shouted out loud, happily.

Supaiku smacked him on his head, leering at him, shouting, " Are you even listening to me! You think because you've got a 'dream'… It will come true. But, life's a big deception. What you're really aiming for is… An excuse."

" No it's not! I'll be the pirate king!"

'' Tch, I remember being that naïve. I once dreamed of being a world class swordsmen, just like my mom. Then I woke-up…" Supaiku's face was hidden by darkness, he sulked his head, lifted himself up, then got his head out too yell, " FREAKS DON'T GET WHAT THEY WANT!"

###

Two fishermen got closer too Supaiku and the boy. They both snickered at their _dreams_. They made sure not to disturb the two from talking, yet. Their moment would be when they were bored; strike them in their backsides.

" Who'd ever think our little Supaiku had such pity dreams!" Jellyfish fishmen laughed.

" And he calls himself a 'fishmen'?! What a riot!"

Both fell over from their insides swelling up. Their maniacal laughter still ringed on their ecstasy.

###

Supaiku finally had the boy in his captive. He's left elbow held him by his waist and lifted him off the ground. Made his way too his lord.

Boy laughed, eyes closed, wide 'n' toothy smile, laughed, " This is fun! I've got a crewmate! And a swordsmen too!"

" Get bent!" Supaiku verbally abused. " You may've freed me. I never said 'I'll join you'. I already have someone am working for. And he'll be displeased too learn you're here, and not dead."

" Nope. You're a part of my crew. You'll be taking me far away. Like a knight in shining armor."

" _Geez… What a little fag. He's also persistent. What is his deal? Me on his crew? Ha. The only ones I search for is the strong. And it's not a blowhard with a petty dream."_

" Supaiku!" Voice of the jellyfish fishmen yelled out. " We're over here!"

Supaiku saw them. He's supposed brothers in arms. Their wicked smiles, cold aura's, and nasty teeth with their smirking. Supaiku knew what was done: Had to give the boy up. However, deep down… He almost felt… A connection with him. The way he talked, acted, and even his ambitions.

" _He's different; I'll give him that. Kinda like…."_

Flashback:

_Supaiku was just an infant baby at the time. Shadows of his mother's hands held him up while he was in a basket. Another shadow of a fishmen walked away from him. Supaiku had the parts of humans, wailed from his mouth, a loud SSSSSHH noise in the background, and his basket-cradle being rocked._

_###_

_His past skipped too him at 6 years old. Played soccer outside with a group of other humans his age, and scored a goal in a net. Everyone around him cheered. The human's ran up too his body, wide smiles on their faces, got close to the younger Supaiku and engaged in a group hug. _

" _Children!" A voice came out of nowhere. " Get away from that creature!" _

_Marines in white uniforms showed up. Some had swords and others used guns. Dozens of marines encircling the children. Each marine grabbed one child and pulled them away. One marine, black skinned, moved too Supaiku, and raised a sword threateningly too him._

" _Listen well, filth!" Marine barked. " If I ever see your face again… You and your mother will be executed, ASP!"_

_###_

_His past skipped too him at ten years old. His mother practiced swordplay with an odachi of her own. Supaiku watched her fighting in awe. However, she'd collapsed. His mother was fighting terminal heart failure at the time. She didn't have much long too live. _

" _Momma!" Younger Supaiku cried on the sidelines. _

_Supaiku dashed his hardest too his mother. She was in great pain, he knew. He couldn't touch her mother. He was too afraid._

_His mother put on a phony smile, shaking through her body, gave her final lesson, " Strike from her heart. Never think of it just as a muscle. The heart can do much wondrous things… You take good care of it." She leaned up against Supaiku, kissed him on the right cheek, crying, " Please, Supaiku. Always check your heart."_

###

Supaiku trembled on his own _actions_—dropped the boy right on the ground. His two fishmen colleagues were dumbstrucked by his actions.

Supaiku was angry with himself, turned his attention to the people around him, yelling," Am not your toy!"

Two swords were drawn—Supaiku reached behind and yanked them out. Beige blood oozed out his backside. A katana and an odachi. The same odachi that originally belonged to his mother. Supaiku couldn't remember how he'd gotten the sword, however, felt a surge of power ever time he used it.

" Let me handle this, Jet," Jellyfish-like fishmen suggested. " I'll take care of this traitor, no doubt."

Hammerhead-like shark bowed his head, approving of the fishmen's idea, said, " Very well, Sting. Make sure not to kill him though. The boss would want too 'take care' of him 'personally'."

Jellyfish-like fishmen walked ahead of his comrade. Electricity surged in his hair. Jellyfish used his trump move in the first move:

" Sting Whip!"

Jellyfish-like fishmen pulled his hair back. The creature attacked his former companion head on—sparks of electricity exiting his tentacles. Sting believed his attack ridded Supaiku, however, situation was the opposite. Supaiku cross-guarded his swords in front of his face. Smug was in the center of them crossed; place where he would've been hit.

" Tough luck, dolt," Supaiku taunted while he was safe. " Looks too me … Checkmate!"

Sting's attack left him temporarily disabled. Supaiku took hold of the situation—launched his soon to be trump melee move:

" Spike Drill!"

Dozens of sword tips submerged from Sting's right arm. His blade jabbed Sting in his abdomen—unleashing millions of tiny blades through his chest. The wound wasn't fatal; fishmen were strong; however; Sting wasn't taken the attack, lightly. He fell right on the ground. Moans of pain came from his mouth.

" YOU TRAITOR!" Jet the hammershark-like fish creature shouted. " Chomp Jet!"

Jet's body folded together. He'd opened his mouth and water formed around him. Took a moment too see Supaiku—jetted after him in a vessel of water.

Supaiku couldn't depend against Jet's attack. It was hopeless. The attack would ram right into his chest and he would lose the battle. However, Supaiku wasn't the one fighting Jet.

The boy, full of energy, ran towards the man, yelling, " Wind… Scythe!"

Supaikku couldn't believe his eyes. A blade figurine of wind came out of nowhere and slammed into Jet by his lefthand side. Jet fell back first on the ground. Fainted.

" _Amazing! He's not human, nor can he be psychic; typical way of brainpower, and he hasn't eaten a Devil's Fruit. What are you?"_

Jet managed to shrug off most pain he's endured. Gravelling, picked himself up, making a loud noise from his mouth:

" ROWRRRREEK! ROWRRREEK!"

" Creatures funny!" Boy laughed while observing.

" No, he ain't," Supaiku worrywart. " He's calling for help. Ooooo…What are we going to do?"

Boy pat his arms, still smiling , then jumped on Supaiku's bulky shoulders, answering, " We fly, of course."

Supaiku couldn't understand a word in which the boy muttered. However, pain of his feet on him became increasingly more intensive. Supaiku saw his feet leaving the ground—quickly turning too him soaring high in the sky.

Suapaiku looked back at the boy. He wasn't himself now. His own body morphed. His whole body was coated in brown feathers, talons seeping out his fingertips, small beak replaced his nose, and barefeet were bird's feet.

Supaiku completely scared, losing part of his mouth, mumbled, " W-who a-are you?"

Figure above him smiled, turned his bird-like face at him, answering, " My name is Fletcher G. Perkman. And am going to be the Pirate King."

###

An army of fishmen were displeased too seeing Supaiku and Fletcher making their escape. Ooki was among the fishmen, however, his body was completely coated in shadows. Only one thing seen: His great sharp white teeth.

" _That's right, Supaiku," _Ooki chuckled as he spoke. " _Run away. I'll be hunting you down, personally."_


	2. Chapter 2

Supaiku tossed around in his sleep, on top of a row boat. He'd just recently abandoned his hometown and was travelling with boy who invaded his tow- n and could transform into a bird-like creature.

Fletcher at the time was in the front. A silver metallic fishing rod in his hands, no bait, and a happy smile across his face; the wind had a gentle breeze. He`d ever right to be happy: Found his first crew member, took down his first opponent, was able to snag a rowboat and fishing rod away, and could feel a fish tugging on his pull, he pulled him out and threw him on the row boat.

Fish smacked Supaiku`s unconscious form, smacking him with his flipper, woke Supaiku up, causing him to scream, `` GYAH! What the hell is this?!``

Supaiku struggled with the beast. He was too busy, spinning in circles while holding the beast, too realize his error: The fish was held by him. However, it didn`t matter how Supaiku held him; the fish was let loose. Flopping on the ground, getting minimum air, made way into the way.

`` Aw, that was my dinner,`` Fletcher moaned.

`` Screw your food!`` Supaiku shouted out his mouth. `` I want answers, and I want them now!``

`` Huh?`` Fletcher said while scratching his head. `` Ahh… Me don`t know what you say.``

" Never mind. Once I get off this boat… What happens to you is of no concern too me."

" B-but…Your my firstmate," Fletcher nearly cried.

" No!" Supaiku retorted. " You decided that on your own. I've no business with the likes of a pirate. I've my own goals, and cannot spend them with the likes of you. This is good-bye."

Supaiku turned to the bright blue sea. He was willing to jump. He wasn't thinking things suicidal . It was all a matter of science. He was part a fishman, maybe even something behind fish, which could breathe underwater and not have to worry about drowning. However, Fletcher grabbed him by his right leg before he'd jumped right in.

Supaiku couldn't believe his eyes. The boy he'd meet was annoyingly persistent. It annoyed Supaiku. All he wanted to do was get away from Fletcher and hone his swordsmanship, but the feel of Fletchers hands was too much for him.

" Stay! Be my first mate! Fight with me, and work hard!"

Supaiku slapped Fletchers hand away; the bird man fell to the ground. Supaiku continued his idea of escaping the ship and searching for another place to be, however, felt guilty over pushing poor Fletcher and looked down at him. A poor kid, rubbing his eyelids, feelings hurt.

`` Ah, am an idiot,`` Supaiku scolded himself. " Okay, I'll be a part of your crew, pirate." Cheers rang after Supaiku said what he wanted him to say. " Don't get so hyper just yet, idiot. Am only gonna be near you most of the time. I'll no intentions of joining a pirate."

Fletcher perched himself in the front. Staring at the sea, turned around, conveying:

" Land Ho!"—Fletcher.

" What did you call me?"—Supaiku.

###

Supaiku and Fletcher roamed a market. Fletcher kept whistling as he walked around. Supaiku examined all the swords in his possession. They were doing their own things. Fletcher wanted something to eat. Supaiku was memorizing an escape route for when he wanted to leave Fletcher.

None of their ideas were of any use. Fletcher couldn't find a meat store or a restaurant anywhere he looked. Too many crowds of people blocked Supaiku's vision. A crowd gathered around one specific part of the road.

" What do you think they're so riled up about?" Supaiku communicated too Fletcher.

" Maybe there's an all-you-can-eat-buffet!" Fletcher said overexcitedly.

" In the middle of a crowd?" Supaiku smacked Fletcher behind his head, " You idiot."

Crowd of people moved too different sides. A solemn person walked through the crowd. Male, around the age of thirty and broad height, had tanned skin, brown eyes, thin mustache under his nose, and white prompt hair out his head. Wore white uniform with blue parts .

" Oh, shit, that's a Fleet Admiral, Gecko Ditch," Supaiku cursed from seeing the man. " I've heard rumors about him on the island. Some say: He's taken down 100 pirates ships. He's never let any prisoner go unexecuted. He surrounds himself in one of the biggest hideouts known to man… Fletcher?"

Fletcher was nowhere near Supaiku. However, he wasn't far away. Fletcher was near Gecko, giant black book in his left hand, pencil in his right hand, yipping, `` Can I have your autograph?"

" YOU IDIOT!" Supaiku yelled his loudest, no one was looking at him.

Gecko took the book, opening it up wide, smiling, " Of course you can. After all: Where would I be without my fans?"

Gecko scribbled away in Fletcher's notebook. Fletcher smiled and kept his hands behind his back as he was writing. Supaiku expelled large steam from his nostrils. Gecko stopped writing and handed his book too Fletcher.

" Thanks," Fletcher gracefully obliged the Fleet Admiral's generous act.

" Your most welcome," Gecko sincerely said. " Remember too keep out of trouble."

" I'll try," Fletcher grinned widely while eyes were closed.

Fletcher made his way away from Gecko. His happy expression—meeting an Fleet Admiral—turned to a frown. He came in front of a shocked Supaiku. Supaiku's eyes molded white, mouth agape, and two sword tips out his palms.

" What the hell's wrong with you, mook!?" Supaiku said in a rough tone. " How the fuck can you go near a Marine, and not feel fear?"

Fletcher tilted his head right, large eyes through his eye lobes, asking, " Is fear something to do with being hungry?"

Supaiku fell backwards. His back hit first. Groining, left hand on his head,

" Why am I with this idiot again?"Supaiku pondered.

" That Fleet Admiral's a crook," Fletcher stated.

He got Supaiku's attention. His eyeballs lighted up as he heard Fletcher, making his way up, and smiling through his mouth. But, his smile turned to a confuse look.

" How can you be so sure? He's well-respected by the people in this town. That's gotta account for something?"

" I could see his heart," Fletcher answered. " Nothing of it was good. He's a bad-bad man."

###

Gecko was back outside his home. His home was an actual castle, made of silver stone bricks, guarded by dozens of marines on the top, and a moat with a drawbridge , alligators under it. Dozens of people kept cheering him as he walked inside. He returned their generosity with air kisses, before entering in the castle.

Gecko entered his castle. Locked the door. Sighed in relief.

" It's 'bout time I got away from them," Gecko talked to himself. " They forsake my image."

" At least they have hearts." A voice said from afar.

Gecko turned around, " Shut up, Goil!" Gecko hollered.

A lone figure stepped out of the shadows. He was Gecko's second-in command. Male, same age as Gecko, a little shorter, dark skinned, hazel eyes, same uniform as Gecko, two small horn-like throbs sticking out his head, and a sword case strapped around his body.

" Am just saying" Man known as Goil replied. "All the people you see, don't you feel a tad bit guilty, they've got more spirit and enjoyment with their lives. You as a murdering bastard should feel a little shame."

" Well, I don't feel guilty. They can all burn in hell; all I care. Now get the keys. We've got prisoners too torture."

###

Fletcher and Supaiku were near an orchard. Fletcher helped himself to a pile of apples. Munching 5 at a time, put 2 more down his gulch, and maintained a cheerful demeanor, despite the information he's learned.

" And I thought I was a pig," Supaiku scolded Fletcher's eating. " Put those damn apples away!"

Fletcher swallowed his apples. Wider smile spread on his face. Tongue stuck out, and licked his lips. "Fletcher took out his duffel bag, and he stuffed the apples intentionally into the bag. Supaiku watched in a confused manor as Fletcher took bites of the apples before putting them in the bag. But then got angry and yelled:

" You idiot! You're gonna spoil our only food. And when I mean 'we'… I just mean 'me'. After I decide to leave you, I'll need something to get me on my way!"

Fletcher finally finished shoving bitten apples into his duffel bag, and licked his lips, zipping the bag up. He'd turned to communicate with Supaiku:

" Let's go kick that Admirals ass."

###

Gecko was having the time of his life. He continuously whipping a female slave in the back. Momentarily got bored with whipping the back, pushed her too face him. Her wounded form was shown in the light.

Female, same age as Fletcher, a little taller, smooth white skinned, silver haired, amber eyes, wearing a purple glittering shirt, plain orange skirt, two black cat-like ear throbs sticking out her head, and a black furry tail out her rear end.

" How does it feel too be tortured, slave?!" Gecko mocked his prisoner. " Knowing you've got nowhere to run, surrounded by an endless era of violence, and having your own livelihood befall under you.

Girl seemed to be in pain, however, smiled. She wasn't afraid of big shots who thought they were so tough.

" Am sorry," Girl said ill-mannered. `` Could you repeat that? I couldn't hear you over the sound of me laughing."

Gecko kicked her in the underbelly. She'd gritted her teeth as he hit her. Collapsed on the ground. Gecko hadn't had his fill of vengeance. Squeezed her hair, pulling her up, and making her face him.

" Don't get cocky, girl," Gecko told her. " Your lucky I don't kill you where you stand!"

" Then why don't you?" She felt content to ask.

" Because you're my slave. I cannot die. But you can. I want to see you suffer, slowly, painfully. It shall fulfill my lust."

Gecko's grip on her hair tightened. A shrill scream came from her mouth. Gecko`s eyes enlarged and his wicked smile lengthened as he tortured her. There was no doubt in his mind; he was enjoying it.

`` Sir!`` Another male`s voice came from behind. `` There`s an intruder roaming the fairgrounds. We need your assistance.`

###

Gecko and Goil walked into the sunlight. Gecko kept the wounded girl in his grasp. Both soldiers turned their heads, looking at the ground, seeing Supaiku eating the precious apples from their apple trees.

Gecko was most enraged. He was against anyone touching his apples. Goil could feel his resentment. Backed up away from him. Tortured female slave made small breathing noises as Gecko squeezed her neck.

`` Oh, no!`` One man`s voice came from within the castle.

`` That`s a fishmen!`` Another male`s voice cried.

`` There supposedly 10 times stronger than a human!`` A third marine cried.

`` What business do you have here, naïve!`` Gecko screamed, Supaiku simply plucking another apple overhead and chewing on it, `` All troops… Open Fire!``

A barrage of bullets were fired. Swarms of the bullets were heading straight for Supaiku. Supaiku slowly acted, dropping his apple, reached his left hand through a hole in his right arm and pulled out a red hilted katana. Supaiku was nimble—a swordsmen at heart—sliced through the small projectiles.

Hundreds of moans came from the humans mouths. Gecko`s head boiled. Supaiku simply reached for an apple overhead and kept chewing on it.

`` Hey, you!`` Gecko yelled again. `` Who the hell do you think you are?! Your battles with me! Get up here, and fight me, you coward!"

Supaiku kept eating his apple, staring at Gecko, replied, " Sorry, but my quarrels are meant only for other sword-wielders. Do you cherish your sword?"

" Like hell I do!" Gecko screamed. " Their just tools, idiot!"

" Than your battle isn't with me," Supaiku remarked.

" It's with me," Gecko turned around. He saw Fletcher, bird form. Flapped his wings, in the air behind him, getting attention of almost every marine solider.

" Can he be…?" Female slave thought vaguely too herself.

" Hey there Gecko. Remember me? Am the guy who's gonna kick your ass."

###

Supaiku heard it all: yelling noises. He remained sitting under an apple tree, eating apples. A slight glimpse showed Fletcher in bird form and facing off against Gecko

`` Jeez,`` Supaiku thought to himself,`` What a bashful moron. If I do become a part of his crew—I`ll never accept him as my captain. I can see him: A hopeless case.``

`` Hey!`` Goil Gecko's second-in command called, showing his face, In front of Supaiku, `` You`ve no business being here, naïve! Get out! Get out, while we still allow it!``

Supaiku lazily raised his eyes to the commanding officer. The half-fishmen rubbed another apple against his slimy skin and then took a bite of an apple. He swallowed.

Eyes trying to stare at Goil, hands behind his head, felt like asking, `` What do swords mean to you?"

Goil smiled a wicked grin, reaching behind his back, fiddling his fingers, replied, " Their the only weapons to use too kill."

" Close enough," Supaiku nonchantly replied. Supaiku stood up. Scrunched his muscles; he'd been sitting too long and felt a little stiff. Supaiku stared right into Goil's eyes, studying his reactions, smiled. " How many swords do you use?"

" Just one," Goil grinned.

Goil pulled out a long metallic stick known as a foil, guard above the handle, and had a barely visible handle. Goil flashed his Foil—pointing at Supaiku.

" Ah, a fencer. What a coincidence." Supaiku digged into a hole in his skin and pulled out a spatha, " Nope." Supaiku put his sword back, pulled out a rapier, " Nope." Supaiku looked into his skin, pulled out a red belly piranha, jumped out and bite his face. " That's not the—Ahhh!" Supaiku ripped piranha off his head, threw it behind him, reaching back into his skin, pulled a foil exact replica out, " Bingo!"

" So… Your also a fencer?" Goil said amusingly.

" Kinda. I love all swords. Which is why I keep them inside me. My dream: become the world's greatest swordsmen."

Supaiku couldn't help but grin at the very mention of his dream. A wide grin on his face, stomping his feet brutally on the ground, picked his head up and saw Fletcher no longer flying near Gecko, or even seeing Gecko himself..

" Where did that little idiot scamper off too?"—Sapaiku

###

Fletcher had the cat-eared girl with him, still in bird form. He Whooshed in the sky, claws lifting girl up by her arms, and laughing happily through his mouth.

" I meet a Devil Fruit User!" Fletcher laughed too himself.

" What the hell are you so happy about?!" Girl asked angrily below. " Your running like a coward, and your happy about it?!"

Fletcher's eyes anime-style shurnk. He was stuttering, looking down at the girl, and putting a bright smile, " Who said anything about 'running away'? We're just getting started!"

The girl rolled her eyes, reacting too Fletcher's commit, said, " Yeah, right. Nam' Sherry by the way. Am a traveller and was looking for something very precious too me—those jerks show up and declare me a 'slave'."

" What'cha do? Steal their complexions? I can tell by your face. It looks beautiful.

Now, having little brainpower, Fletcher had no idea of the degree of his idea he had just paid Sherry. As far as he knew, he was just stating facts. So he failed to notice the deep blush that was spreading across Sherry's cheeks.

H-he thinks I'm…? Sherry thought.

" Cours'," Fletcher laughed ignoring her facial-expression, " You do seem kinda heavy! What did you eat!? Was that something you stole?!"

Sherry's blush turned to a startled "gasp". She wanted to smack Fletcher from his rude comment, however, her arms were held by him, and if she moved them, she would fall too her death.

" I didn't steal anything, you numbskull! Sherry roared, "I just so happened too eat a Devil Fruit, and it's against the law here too!"

" But, that weird man had one," Fletcher stated the obvious.

" He's different! His families of higher class!"

" Indeed, I am," Gecko's voice commented behind..

Fletcher nearly dropped Sherry; his hand loosening and her dangling below-scared out of her mind, Fletcher remembered her, and grabbed her, but was scold with an, " You idiot!"

Fletcher saw Gecko. He was grinning. Fletcher experienced firsthand what Gecko was capable of. Fletcher couldn't help feeling angry and excited. Gecko shaked his moist palms. He stopped. Turning his attention too Fletcher, laughing.

" What was that about ' kicking my ass', you weakling. Please. I've enough things to do already, and you're just wasting my time.

Fletcher stuck his tongue out, twiddling his fingers over his head, glaring directly at Gecko, laughed, " Your stupid!"

" Oh, you think you're a challenge. Tell me, what makes you so special?"

Fletcher subsided his tongue back in his mouth, staring blankly at Gecko one second, excited the next, said, " Nothing. Am just a guy; I'm gonna kick your ass. Wind… Tornado!"

Fletcher spinned his arms around. As he did, a large gust of wind came out his hands, rustling towards Gecko, sucked him in. Wind blew all over the area. Fletcher awed his own creation, Sherry desperately clinged to the ground so she wouldn't fly off, and no noise came from Gecko's mouth. Wind cleared up. Gecko was gone.

' He's strong!" Sherry racketed in her head. ' Not as strong as me, of course, but still has a little flare in him. Maybe…'

" Haw!" Fletcher laughed " I did it! That marines down!"

Little did Fletcher know, shadows were moving amock, Gecko making his sneak attack. He could see it: His opportunity too strike; Fletcher parading himself."

###

Supaiku and Goil had their strife. Supaiku and Goil thrusted their swords together, right hands holding their weapons; left hands behind their backs, intending to kill. Goil swished at Supaiku, however, the half-fishmen parry and stopped Goil's strike.

Goil spinned in circles and jabbed everywhere he twirled. However, Supaiku slashed at each ignoble attempt.

Goil stopped spinning, position back to where he was, left hand behind his back, chuckling, " You're a pretty good fencer. For a fishmen."

" Am half-fishmen," Supaiku retorted, " Blood of my mother runs deep in my veins. A proud swordsmen."

" a swordsmen, eh?" Goil asked with disbelief, " Please, don't make me laugh. A creature like you; want to become a swordsmen?"

" Not 'A swordmen'!" Supaiku replied. I want-to-be-the-best! I've honed my skills for years, and will test them on anyone!"

Goil rubbed the horn throbs sticking out his head and stroked his chin. Supaiku kept staring at Goil. Goil looked at Supaiku, a noble warrior, of the sea, and smiled. He believed Supaiku to be a challenge. He kept faith, his next move.

" Y'know, I ate a Devil Fruit."

Goil's eyes turned pigmented to that of a cobra's and his lower-half body morphed into a rattlesnake's .He picked his fencing foil up, opened his mouth, swallowed it whole. Supaiku stared at Goil in disbelief. Crunching noises came from Goil's mouth, grinding, Goil sticked his tongue out, the fencing sword was seen—long and curvy metallic object.

" What type of fruit is that?!" Supaiku cried.

" The Snake Snake Fruit," Goil replied with a snarl, " By the way, my eyes can feel your heart beating. Slow, you're a fishmen, but I see your petrified. On Guard!"

Supaiku couldn't keep track of Goil's movements. He slithered faster than he ran. Goil came up in front of Supaiku, swinging his tongue molded into a sword., Supaiku barely fending, sparks emerging as their blades met, Goil hissing over ecstatic.

" What are you so damn happy about?!" Supaiku yelled.

" Your heart! Soon, it will be mine! I'll enjoy devouring it!"

###

Sherry took charge of leading Fletcher through the castle. Marines ignorantly left stands with food standing up, Sherry reached in and swiped apples or pears—her stomach growled.

" I was right!" Fletcher giggled as Sherry took food, " You were hungry. It's odd; you've got such big hips; you want to eat so much—"

Sherry clobbered Fletcher. Her right hand punched him in the head, attention still on the food, and taking them. Sherry didn't have a bag too carry her supplies in, however, the food mysteriously disappeared, Sherry brought her cattail out and sucked them in.

" I can't believe I thought that idiot could be the one," Sherry pondered too herself, " Still, that was heroic what he did. I've never seen any anima fight against a Devil Fruit User, and live.

Flashback

" Hey there Gecko. Remember me? Am the guy who's gonna kick your ass."

Gecko stared at Fletcher—hands squeezing Sherry. He was startled by Fletcher. A boy who was half-bird, half-human, flying in front of him, he found it strange humor. His startled expression turned to a wicked smile and he squeezed Sherry even harder.

" That's rich!" Gecko trash talked Fletcher, " You're gonna kick my 'ass'?"

" Well…" Fletcher reminisced about his actions. " Technically, I'd be scratching it!"

Gecko loosened his hold on the injured Sherry, laughing too hard, his voice causing all nearby marines too shiver.

Gecko sobered from his laughing, turning his head back too Fletcher, said, " I like you, kid. Y'know, there is a way to save your friend. All you've gotta do is pledge your allegiance to me and become my personnel jester. So… What'cha say?"

Flashback on Hold

Sherry finished stuffing fruit in her cattail. Her body shivered as she thought about the past. Having enough fruit, finding a gateway, she could leave the castle and never see Gecko's face again. However, her attention was on Fletcher.

The birdman sleeped soundly on the ground. Secretive snoring noises. Sherry smiled at his childish behavior. Turning around, her fluffy tail rubbed against Fletcher, a blanket of silk hair formed on top of him.

" Hey!" A marine solider yelled behind Sherry, " It's the girl whose escaped Gecko's capture!"

" Let's kill that little bitch!" Another marine yelled.

Sherry turned her head around. Dozens of marines were in front of her, standing in a straight line, rifles at their ready, angry gleams on their faces. Sherry was surprised with the marines appearances, however, her shock turned to a smile.

Sherry closed her eyes, smile on her face, arms clapped together, chanting, " Mew Mew 3rd Gear!

In a flash of light, Sherry's body dissolved, a large, gray cat-like beast three times bigger than a human with a bushy tail with a cream-colored tip and a furry collar, also cream-colored, appeared. Sherry's new form—roared out her mouth.

" She's eaten a Devil Fruit!" One marine yelled.

" Forget that, men!" Another marine yelled, Let's execute this shape-shifting bitch!"

Clicking-noises were heard from all the marines guns. Sherry in her new form breathed heavily. All men steadied their guns, fired bullets—Sherry's new form remained perfectly still. All bullets zoomed towards her—a smile spread on her animal body.

###

Supaiku's whole body surface had cut marks and blood oozed out of him. Heckling noises were heard from Goil in his new form. Another thrash of Goil's sword, another scratch on Supaiku. Supaiku wasn't even trying.

" So, you like to fight swordsmen, eh?!" Goil laughed from his mouth. " Tough nuggets! You're against one of the greatest swordsmen in all the West Blue. Course, you've done well for yourself, even though you're a fishmen."

" Half-Fishmen!" Supaiku corrected despite his injuries.

" You survive these injuries—I have no doubt you'll be a great swordsmen. Course, I've no remorse of letting you walk out of this mess, alive!"

Goil's tongue swished all the way out. Multiple scratch marks on Supaiku: Left arm, right arm, torso, outer area of femur (A/N: Fishmen are half-human, I believe they have human body parts), outer area of the lymph nodes , and a cut that barely stabbed in Supaiku's head—nearly missed hitting his skull.

" Gyah!" Supaiku screamed from his agony.

" That's right!" Goil kept his heckling, " Am Gecko's second-in command! I've never lost a sword battle, helped him unmercifully hurt the lives of simpleton slaves, have protected his depravity, all so I can witness others suffer!"

Goil's tongue pierced Supaiku in his heart. A short crying noise came out Supaiku's mouth. Goil feasted on Supaiku's suffering, snake eye's dilating, body shaking all over, unnoticeable grin from his head, mouth stretched too far out. However, Goil wasn't the hunter—Supaiku made him his prey.

Supaiku grabbed Goil, despite the injuries he's received, pulled him forward, his sword deeper, said," Y'know, am not such a nice guy either. And am kinda a sore loser. I can't win; I cheat!"

Goil couldn't move. Dozens of short sword tips submerged from Supaiku's body and stabbed Goil all over his front body. A loud tearful cry came out Goil's mouth.

Pulling his hand back, determination sparkling in Supaiku's eyes, used his trump move, " Spike Drill!"

Dozens of sword tips submerged from Supaiku's right arm. His blade jabbed Goil in his abdomen. He unleashed millions of tiny blades through his chest. Goil gave one last " Heft" through his mouth before trembling

Goil fell to the ground. Dead. Supaiki stood over Goil's lifeless body. Supaiku looked dishearten about the battle, however, his demeanor turned happy.

" Now...time to save my idiot captain."


	3. Chapter 3

A array of soldiers laid on the ground. Sherry stood over them. In her human form, a whip attached around her waist, staring at the unconscious marines.

" Tch," Sherry sighed as she stood over the soldiers, " Typically marines."

" I wouldn't be too coy if I were you, prisoner," Gecko's menacing voice echoed in the area.

Sherry tilted her head up. Gecko stood over her. On top of the barricade, arms crossed, sly smile on his face.

" You!" Sherry ululated at Gecko's appearance. " Get away from me!"

" Oh, that's harsh. After all I've done for you. Food, shelter, company, and this is my repayment?"

Sherry growled as a cat, her teeth gnarling at Gecko, scowling, " Your nothing but a pig!"

" You tell'em, sister!" Fletcher's flamboyant voice called. " We don't take trouble from anyone."

Sherry and Gecko froze. Both turned their heads too Fletcher. He was wide-awake and as bombastic as ever. Sherry and Gecko numbed from seeing Fletcher.

" How long were you awake?!" Sherry asked.

" I was never asleep!" Fletcher cackled. " There's SOO much too do!"

" You mean…" Sherry walked up too Fletcher, ruded his right cheek, smacked him in the face, yelled " YOU COULD'VE HELPED!"

Gecko laughed too himself, watching the comedy duo, giggled, " Stop wasting my time!"

Fletcher's and Sherry's attention turned too Gecko. They all stared at his smug expression. Sherry became worried, Fletcher laughed. Fletcher still in bird form flew up too where Gecko stood.

" Perching himself on the ground, staring directly into Gecko's eyes, laughed, " Your funny!" Both Gecko and Sherry were confused by Fletcher's attitude. Fletcher was oblivious of them; his hands clapping together made small amount of noise, " Let's have fun!"

" Idiot!" Sherry thought too herself. " Fun?! Bah! It's people like that, make people like Gecko."

Gecko looked at Fletcher, turned his head up, looking, disappeared right before Fletcher's eyes—reappeared—kicked Fletcher behind his back. Agonizing pain came in Fletcher's body. Normal people would've cried at the pain Fletcher received, however, not Fletcher himself. Fletcher's stubbornness was his ally.

" Take that!" Gecko sniggered upon kicking Fletcher. " I can assure you: You haven't felt anything yet!"

Fletcher swiped his bird-claws at Gecko. However, Gecko disappeared on the spot, again. Gecko reappeared—front of Fletcher—kicked him in his face.

Fletcher fell down. Plummeted—landed right on his back. Groaning pain came from his mouth. Sherry came up to him. Sherry knew she should've been concerned about Fletchers well-being, however, all she could muster:

" That's what you get for facing a opponent you know nothing about, idiot."—Sherry.

" Ow… need… food."—Fletcher.

" So do I!" Gecko laughed above. Gecko fell to the ground, lighting quick. No one could see him coming. Gecko moved slowly towards Sherry and Fletcher. A board smile came on his face. Sherry was scared.

" Those moves… part of his Devil Fruit?" Sherry worried in her mind. " Could he be teleporting?" Sherry looked at his feet. Long black track marks were under his feet. Sherry`s attention drifted, `` No! It must be Speed! If that`s the case, am the perfect fighter for this job!`` Mew Mew 1st Gear!``

Sherry's body dissolved. Gecko could no longer see Sherry. She disappeared from his sight. Gecko`s mind was worrying: Could look up to see—never noticed the answer below. Sherry transformed to a silver furred cat.

Gecko paid no mind too animals. He was too busy worrying about a girl and a half-bird demon. He wanted to get the girl most of all. He`s deal with her was tampered; he`d freely be able to skin her alive.

`` C`mon out, little girl,`` Gecko heckled as he scouted the area. `` I know we can work something about. I am a marine officer. What type of officer am I; there`s not someone I can't razzle.

Sherry walked away. Tail raised over her head, squirming, large proud smile on her cat face, stopped. She didn`t know why, however, there was something about Fletcher.

`` He`s an idiot, sure. But anyone that risks his life… even a pirate…deserves some recognition. Maybe, I can… Gyah, what am I think—I need to help him…``

Sherry's cat body dissolved. Sherry was back to her human form. Soft and pink once again. Only regret: Being discovered.

`` Oh, so you finally show that luscious skin to me, girly?" Gecko taunted from seeing Sherry. " I ate the Go Go Fruit! My speed's heightened beyond any mortals and I never get tired when Running. Think about your options, one second. Join me or die.``

Sherry worked up, scrunching her face, looking back at Gecko, replied, `` Like hell I'd ever be a part of you!``

Gecko jabbed her once again in her abdomen. Sherry flinched from the deep-thriving pain. However, she maintained a minimum fore sense to stay up. Gecko grinned at her grief, grinning widely, he let out, `` You`ll always be mine, my sweet. Forev-``

Gecko couldn't finish his sentence—Fletcher flew in and punched him across the face. Gecko fell down, hurt, dizzy, face going pale. Fletcher flew above him, angry, Not afraid to act:

" Don't talk to my crewmate that way!" Fletcher hollered.

Gecko and Sherry were both confused. Gecko couldn't understand how Fletcher attacked his face. Sherry didn't believe he trusted her too be a crewmate, not that she considered it. Fletcher flew forward and scratched Gecko all across his body—feet and claws.

" Grrr…" Gecko growled from Fletcher scratching his precious body. " Enough!"

Gecko disappeared and reappeared, kicked Fletcher in his abdomen. Fletcher felt numb. He couldn't breathe.

Sherry couldn't stand Fletcher being beating, shivered all over, yelled, " Stop letting yourself being hurt! Use your wind… whatever, already!"

Fletcher blushed, Sherry emotionally hurting him, his disadvantage, said, " I can't. I don't have enough energy."

Sherry's eyes bulged. The prodigy surprised her . The man, spirit and determination, tried to save her, but showed to be weaker.

Sherry just couldn't get herself to leave. She felt sympathy for Fletcher. She couldn't understand. She wanted to help. Fletcher was striked: Left, right, down, up, back again. He was trapped and unable to defend for himself.

" Grrr…" Sherry growled, " Mew Mew 3rd Gear!"

Flashback:

Gecko sobered from his laughing, turning his head back too Fletcher, said, " I like you, kid. Y'know, there is a way to save your friend. All you've gotta do is pledge your allegiance to me and become my personnel jester. So… What'cha say?"

Fletcher took one look at Sherry, bruises on her head and skin, yelled, `` Let go of her! Wind… Scythe!``

Gecko disappeared and reappeared above, Sherry fell down. She was pushed by the force of Fletcher`s attack, sailing in the air. He had to save her—floating high overhead—took off.

Noticing Gecko zooming through the top, Fletcher overhead, Sherry falling down, Fletcher caught her at the last second and made a decent too the ground.

Flashback End:

Sherry's body molded. She turned to a puddle of water. Water molecules in the water joined together—water rushed to each other. The water together built a structure, giant cat figure, reanimated. Her form was the same one she`d used against the marines. Her new form roared triumphantly with strong lungs.

Gecko stopped torturing Fletcher, looked back at the girl, grinned, " Ah, I see we have the freak show. A fishmen, a birdmen, and a catwoman. Your all the start of a bad joke! Go Go… Mach Speed!"

Gecko's body split into three separate body. Sherry couldn't keep track of them—all three forms disappeared from their site. Sherry's eyeballs arose. One wrong move: Gecko could attack her in any direction and have his way with her.

" Where are you!?" Sherry pondered in her beastly mind. " I will find you…"

Sherry was struck in the back of her body. Gecko appeared and stabbed her back with a small butcher knife.

Giggling, filled with glee, Gecko removed the knife, saying, " That's what you get my if there ever was a next time… Don't-mess-with-the-me!" Sherry had troubles breathing, Gecko stabbed her directly in a vital area. She could hardly breathe despite being massive in size. " Yes! I want to hear you suffer! Don't worry, am a man of my word. I won't kill you. I'll just let you live your entire life in he—"

Fletcher wasn't done fighting. His claws struck Gecko in his backside. An angry scorn took over his face.

Fletcher was mad, kept his hand out, holding tightly, demanding, " Don't… you… dare!"

Gecko unsheated another dagger from his holster. Gecko took a knife out. However, stopped. He couldn't sum up willpower enough too attack them. Fletcher glowed—lying down on the ground—bright green.

" What the devil are you?" Gecko asked the glowing Fletcher.

Fletcher kept his head down, illuminating bright green, replied, " Am a Roc's offspring!" Fletcher moved his tightened fists overhead, staring at the ground, slammed his two arms, ``Wind… Vortex!"

Tremendous gust of wind breezed rampantly below Fletcher. The force blew all things aside: Fruit cards, cannons and guns, alchohol barrels, Sherry, and Gecko—blew into the sky.

Gecko floated in the sky. Falling down, Fletcher catching him, he couldn't move, nowhere to Run, found prejudice, Fletcher.

" Wait!" Gecko called in the sky. " Save me! I-I'll… do anything. J-just… save me."

Sherry gathered around Fletcher. She and Fletcher looked at the quivering admiral. Sherry growled from her mouth while revealing her teeth. Gecko reached the ground and was caught by Fletcher. Fletcher took one look—deep into the admirals eyes—laughing:

" Okay!" Sherry and the admiral 's eyes lighted up. No one looked more confused than Gecko. " But there needs to be a punishment!"

Round 'n' round. Fletcher spinned Gecko around in circles. Gecko couldn't move his muscles, maim. The pain, maim, and embarrasment , Fletcher laughed loud as he can. Sherry also looked nauseated by the spinning—faster and faster, threw him away.

Gecko's body slammed against the walls, body first too be hit, groined, " OW!"

###

Supaiku entered the castle. His swords were at his ready. He was cautious, checking all around, raising his swords up, found no danger.

" Where are the marines?" Supaiku said too himself. " Bummer. I was hoping for more sword practice."

Supaiku walked deeper into the castle. He noticed Fletcher no longer in bird form next too Sherry. They were both Enjoying:

" You're eating stolen goods?!"—Supaiku.

Fletcher unpeeled a banana and ate the whole thing. Sherry had bit-size pieces of an orange. Supaiku boiled with rage, however, his anger soon stopped, Fletcher tossed an apple too him. Supaiku was stunned by Fletchers motives, however, ate the apple nonetheless, one large bite at a time."

" How does it taste?" Fletcher flamboyantly said too the confused Supaiku. " Pretty good, right?"

Supaiku ignored Fletcher. His mind drifted too eating the apple. Still, he caution about Sherry's presence. Put his apple down; wanted to observe her close-up. Did however notice Fletcher thoughtlessly shoving apples down his gulch.

" IDIOT!" Supaiku piked up loud as he could, Fletcher spitting the apples he had. " I mean… who is (pointing at Sherry) she?"

Fletcher rubbed his mouth of any apple juices left on his mouth, giggling at Supaiku, answering, " Her name is Sherry. And she's agreed to be our doctor!"

###

This crew is missing supplements"—Supaiku.

" Yeah, we need more meat. Fruit suck."—Fletcher

" Not to mention medicine supplies and more clothes, I can't be seen in public wearing these"—Sherry

" IDIOTS!"—Supaiku

Supaiku grabbed Fletcher and Sherry by their heads, bashed them together. No cracking noises, however, a loud BOOM! Fletcher and Sherry fell to the ground. Supaiku rubbed his hands.

Fletcher. Supaiku, and Sherry resided back in town. Gecko had been arrested. Sherry told passengers abouthow Gecko captured random people and put them in his castle, via misleading.

" What we need is a bigger boat and more supplies," Supaiku preached.

" How'd you convince everyone you were God, Sherry?" Fletcher asked, groined on the ground.

" I told them I can have 'any' form and I transformed," Sherry said." Catholic's can be so gullible."

Supaiku once again became enraged, head literally boiling, raised his right hand up, prepared for an attack, but not before come backing, " My mother was Catholic!"

Supaiku smacked Sherry behind her head. Fletcher gasped at Sherry's pain, Supaiku continued growling. Fletcher looked at her in affliction—rubbed her head.

" Supaiku, you bastard!" Fletcher lamented, " How could you hurt a girl—"

Sherry recovered, punching the concerned Fletcher, head facing the ground, growled, " You think my sex makes a difference?! You sexiest!"

" Besides," Supaiku said, " I don't care whether its male or female, once a person commits a crime, oh, they better be ready for the charges."

" Oh," Sherry awed Supaiku. " So mighty! Please be my husband!"

Sherry prounced on Supaiku. The fishmen couldn't stop her. Arms wrapped around his body, eyes bedazzled, nuzzled her cat ears on his face. Supaiku shivered as Sherry did it.

" We could sell the fruit Sherry stole," Fletcher suggested.

Sherry stopped rubbing herself on Supaiku. Her attention drifted too Fletcher, glaring. Sherry growled, looking down at Fletcher, jumped off Supaiku and moved towards him. Her claws, sharp objects once tucked into her fingers, swiping, frenzying, and scratching Fletcher all over.

" Don't you dare touch my fruit!"—Sherry.

" Fruit would be something useful to sell, townsfolk don't get enough of it"—Supaiku.

" Yes, my darling!"—Sherry.

###

Crew of three roamed down to the most deserted place they could find. Supaiku carried pile of wood, Sherry smiling comfortably behind them, Fletcher stuck carrying over 100 pieces of fruit.

" Hey, how come Sherry doesn't have too carrying anything?" Fletcher moaned behind. Her fat should give her muscles."

" Eeeeekk!" Sherry shrieked in front.

Sherry turned around, glaring at Fletcher, growling, took her claws out, scratched him across the face, unmercifully

Supaiku shaked his head, stared back at Sherry scratching Fletcher, suggested, " Am not saying your wrong, Fletcher; maybe you should ease up on what you say, after all, woman can be more sensitive than men."

Sherry stopped scratching Fletcher, hands on her side, turning around, awing, " Supaiku's just so smart!"

" Be quiet!" Supaiku ordered

Supaiku dipped his right hand into his skin, pulled out a stainless steel Spatha. The blade shinned under the sun. Sherry's eyes twinkling with Supaiku's actions and her mouth agaped.

" Supaiku's so cool!" Sherry awed

" Hey, why'd ya fascinate over being hurt"—Fletcher.

" Am a masochistic, so I enjoy being tortured more than I enjoy anything romantic"—Sherry

" I knew it. We should've left her prisoner"—Supaiku

###

Group walked deeper through the deserted area. They stopped .Supaiku unloading the wood, Flethcer following suit; bag of fruit fell to the ground, Sherry sitting down.

" Boy, all that walking made me tired," Sherry whined

" YOUR TIRED?!" Supaiku and Fletcher yelled together.

" By the way, Supaiku, why are we out here anyways?" Fletcher pestered

" Every good fishmen knows the sea like the back of his hand," Supaiku answered, Sherry awing him with a smile. " Exactly 5 minutes from now a ship will dock off here, and passengers will unload. Our job will be too get near the exit and not let them leave till they pay for our merchandise."

" I can also get us more belli," Sherry added. " I can morph myself into a cat and snatch them away with my—Fletcher!"

Fletcher was shoving multifarious fruits down his gulch, one at a time. Banana. Apple. Tangerine. Peach. Supaiku walked up to him and slammed his fist on his head.

" Do you even have a brain, retard!?" Supaiku yelled. " Go take a walk or something! We'll call you when we're done, get the fuck out of here!"

###

Fletcher waited amongst multiple coloured rocks: gray, blue, green, red, purple. Fletcher was bored. There was barely anything to do, ended up picking his nose, couldn't find anything.

" Agh," Fletcher cried from his boredom. " Now I know how a cow waiting to be slaughtered feels. Got too find—Hey, I know!" Fletcher reached down his overcoat, fiddled around, pulled a small green pendant of a diamond out. The pendant shinned under the light, anime-style. " I'll think of you."

Fletcher cherished his pendant. He always felt more secure wearing it. It was the source of his powers; he could still function; wouldn't be the same. Fletcher breathed on the pendant, rubbed it on his overcoat. Just then, faint sound caught his ears:

" HELP!"

Fletcher turned his head to the noise. A small boy ran along the beach. Male, around the age of eight and an inch shorter, had soft dark skin, hazel eyes, his hair short but still having small dark points, chubby, wore a yellow overcoat, along with green shorts, and was barefooted. The boy headed straight for Fletcher.

" Help, these people are tryna kill me!" Boy cried loud enough for Fletcher too hear.

Multi-various people with pitchforks and shovels came running behind the boy: White, black, tanned, pale, and clammy.

Boy came up too Fletcher, holding him on his shirt, crying, " Please, help me!"

Fletcher looked at the boy, staring directly into his eyes, smiled, " No."

" What?! What do you mean 'No'?!"

" I'll be doing this for myself," Fletcher vaguely smiled, staring at upcoming pursuers, " And me only."

Fletcher jumped over the boy. He planted his feet firmly on the ground, scraping'em, looked at the people heading for him, let his voice be heard, " Wind… Scythe!"

Fletcher swished his left hand. A blade-like figurine made of wind came out his arm and rammed into the upcoming pursuers. They all made groaning noises, fallen to the ground.

" Well, that takes care of—Huh?" Fletcher told himself, noticed his pendant too be missing, couldn't feel it dangling around his neck.

Fletcher rubbed his body, looking for the pendant, however, couldn't find it anything. Fletcher worried.

" Looking for this?" The boy's voice cackled from behind.

Fletcher turned his head all the way around. The boy stood behind him—dangling his pendant for him to see—smirk on his face.

" Hey, that's mine!"—Fletcher

" It's mine now, bud! Thanks for the load, sucker!"

Boy was forcibly pulled up—rope wrapped around his chubby little body. Fletcher tried catching the boy, however, wasn't fast enough. The boy was lifted over his head—Fletcher growled ferociously, form morphed too birdman.

Fletcher zoomed up. Claws scraping against the walls rocky surface, going airborne, flying high in the sky. He finally reached the top. Large pink cardboard castle was in his way. Structure made of pink plastic, a fake hand drawn moat on the ground, two pillars on the right and left, dozens of children under ten on the top.

" Captain!" Voice of the boy from before called. " This man's trying to take back what I stole from him!"

" We'll have none of that!" Voice of an adult roared. " Men, open fire!"

Dozens of rocks were thrown towards Fletcher. Fletcher swiftly evaded them. Dozens of kids the same age as the one who stole from Fletcher appeared. One man stood out from the rest. Male, around the age of fourty, wrinkly skin, brown eyes, his black hair greasier then anything Fletcher's ever seen, vastly masculine, wearing nothing but cotton shorts; belt clipped horizontally in his body.

" Hey your children took my pendant!" Fletcher yelled from the scuffle, enraged, " Tell him too give it back!"

" No can do, dude, see, these are my pirate crew and we've just apprehended you of your valuable. But don't worry, it's in good hands: My hands!"

Kids kept throwing rocks at Fletcher—Man laughed while holding his stone. Fletcher's mind couldn't concentrate on fighting back. He could only Reminisce.

Flashback:

Fletcher ten years younger sat on the ground, looking up, under a freakishly ginormous creature. Younger Fletcher held the pendant tightly in his right arm.

" So… am allowed to keep this?" Younger Fletcher asked.

" Yes," Voice of a non-human creature replied. " Keep it with you at all times. If you use your abilities without the pendant, well , things could get rough."

A birds beak leaned down. The beak rubbed against Fletcher's forehead, he giggled. The creature took it's body away—taking off—leaving Fletcher too stare at him on the ground. Fletcher cried as a large bodied figure flew in the suns direction.

" Wait!" Younger Fletcher cried seeing his friend leave him. " Please take me with you! I'll do whatever you say!"

" Am sorry," Creatures voice atoned from afar. " Only in time, we'll meet again. But when we do, I suspect you too be your own man. All ways think of yourself: You have heart.

Fletcher cried as his friend flew far away. Crying, looked at his pendant and flashed it too the sky.

" We will meet again!" Fletcher cried happily. " I'll be the Pirate King, and you'll be my guardian! I swear too you, Roc!"

Flashback End

Fletcher's rage spread all over him. Anger flushing his nerves—his pendant being mistreated in front of him—he yearned for it. More rocks were thrown by the kids too Fletcher, however, he deflected them with his hands; swatting them away

Fletcher came up too their door. Large, made of cardboard, Fletcher growled. Raised his hands overhead, they came down, and came right into the doors, creating a large gap.

" He's breached our entrance!" Man called on top. " Men, attack!"

Fletcher moved into the cardboard castle. Dozens of small children ran up to him. Each were carrying large sticks or wooden swords. Each children growling at Fletcher's presence. Fletcher growling back at them.

One kid made an attempt to whack Fletcher using a wooden sword, however, Fletcher pushed the kid aside. All kids yelled too their comrade being tackled. They all yelled out their mouths and charged at him, Fletcher used his hands, pushed the people away; weapons never touched him.

" Dammit!" Adult's voice cursed above. " You're suppose too be my fierce crew! How can any of you lose against one stupid little boy!?"

" This isn't just any boy!" Fletcher growled below. " This is someone whose been messed with!" Overhead, dozens of kids were seen with rocks in their hands. Fletcher stared at them, hands raised high, screamed , "Ahhhhh!"

###

" Thank you, come again," Supaiku said to a man purchasing his food.

A man wearing white Arabian clothes and wearing glasses, holding his merchandise, smiled, " Thanks. You've gotta be the friendliest fishmen I've ever seen." Man took a bite, swallowed, " And this fruits top-notch."

" Glad you like it," Supaiku smiled. " Have a nice day."

" I will."

Man walked away on the right side. Fletcher's face came up, bruised, cut, carrying his green pendant.

" I-I wo-would…" Fletcher tried to say, words couldn't let loose, " I…"

Fletcher collapsed. Back first on the ground, body too damaged, could only muster low snoring noises.

Sherry in cat form walked to the stand. Pink smoke surrounded Sherries small body, she changed back, became a whole woman, awing.

" Wow, you really did it, Supaiku. That walk really did help us with Fletcher."

Sherry kneeled down and put Fletchers head on her lap. Sherry crouched down and licked Fletcher all over his face, the wounds on him healed, Fletcher body returned to its human form; he snored sound as a baby on the ground.

" Yeah," Supaiku sighed, " Too bad we've now got too carry his lazy ass to the ship."

###

Fletcher couldn't really go too sleep, however, he did need too rest, however, his very pupils saw everything as a blur. So, him waking up, sweating all over, noticing Supaiku swinging his left arm odachi sword and using his other hand too read a book, Sherry fishing; dipping her tail in the tail, wasn't of any surprise whatsoever.

" Acccccchhh!" Fletcher yawned as he woke up. " How long have we've been sailing?"

" Nearly 3 hours," Supaiku answered while not taken eyes off his book.

" What?! You left me sitting that long?! You made me miss mealtime... you–"

Sherry took her tail out of the water, smacking Fletcher on his head, yelled, " Don't you dare say anything too my Supaiku!"

" Your Supaiku?" Supaiku asked. " Hmph. Humans."

###

Outside the town of Yellowhorn, in the woods, near a fishing bank of salmon, one person stood too capture fish. A male around the age of twenty, dry skinned, hazel eyes, red hair greasy and puffy, lean yet somewhat muscular, wore a white shirt and beige cargo shorts.

fish swam freely, not knowing what dangers came their way. The man kept his hands in his pockets, looking at the fish below, quaffing:

" Time too make you my catch."

###

Fletcher munched down on fruit. His stomach grumbled for some nourishment. Supaiku and Sherry stared at his eating.

" Geez, slow down, you'll give yourself a tummy ache," Supaiku lectured.

" Not too mention you don't close your mouth," Sherry pointed out..

" Mmmm–Buwusu... Yuggggg... ( Sorry)," Fletcher spat while eating.

Supaiku and Sherry returned too their activities. Supaiku once again picked his sword up and swinged the blade. Sherry swished her tail as she kept fishing.

Fletcher had became excited, lifting his head up, awing what was in front of him, shouted, " Land ho's!"

" What did you say!?" Supaiku and Sherry yelled together


	4. Chapter 4

The boy was in a market. Wooden stands, plenty of merchandise inside of them, people laughing while chatting with the people behind The boy stopped at the nearest fish market and set a wooden basket on the counter top. An old man showed up and gripped the handle of the basket. Shaven head, wrinkles only on his face; smooth arms, and a turquoise robe on his body.

" Well, I see you've been busy today, eh, Dorobou?" The old man said too the not complete stranger.

" I do alright," Dorobou shrugged too the old man.

" Well, let's not take my word for it. Let's see what's inside." The old man removed the lid too the basket. Fish filled the gaps of the wooden basket. The old man picked one fish up and showed its head too Dorobou, a hole cut in it. " I see you've improved your skills. Before, you could hardly catch a fish. And now your always landing on the bullseye."

" Yeah, well, someone has too work In the family. So, how much can you give me?"

###

Dorobou opened the door too his house. He was greeted by his hyperactive cousins. A small boy with black hair wearing beige shirt and khaki shorts, sneakers, and blue eyed. A small girl with pigtail black hair, blue shirt, green skirt, and blue eyed.

" Big Brother!" The two children unison together.

" Aero! Luna!" Dorobou greeted his two siblings.

The three family members embraced each other with open arms. Dorobou squeezed the life out of the children. The children clinged on like monkeys too a tree. The two wanted too stay that way forever–hugging their Cousin

" How's Aunt Sora doing?" Dorobou communicated too the two.

" She still has a high fever," Aero talked too his cousin.

" But the doctors say she's doing much better," Luna added.

" She better; all the money we're paying them. Now, I want too see her."

###

The three rowboats hit dry land. Fletcher stretched his arms, all stiff from sailing too long–Supaiku flipped the pages of his book and than closed it–Sherry swished her furry tail in front of her face and spat out all fish with her mouth, spitting them into her rowboat, dead.

" Ahhhhh..." Fletcher reacted too being on the shore. " This is the life, eh. Couple of chums like us doing all this sailing. "

" Would you focus on the land, idiot," Supaiku lectured behind Fletcher. " We're wanted fugitives, remember? Anyone ever sees us... they'll kill us."

" Nah. Am pretty sure we can take them."

" Really?" Sherry asked. " And what makes you think someone won't come and kill us."

" Because anyone who has strong heart on chasing us: I'd make'em part of our crew."

###

Dorobou moved too his aunt. Sora was a frail woman, in her mid-thirties, smooth skin, long braided red hair, blue eyeliner on her eyes, pink lipstick smothered on her lips, a red kimono under her head, and purple eyes illuminating in the light.

" Aunt Sora!" Dorobou communicated too his aunt. " Please speak too me."

Dorobou nudged his aunt out of concern. She pushed him. Shaking all over, stretched her right arm up, and pushed herself up.

" Am not too feeble, ya twat. Those crazy quacks just tryna take my money away."

Sora tried keeping herself up, however, she fell right back down. Dorobou moved up too her and clutched her hands in a concerned gesture, however, Sora once again pushed him away. " I told ya, I don't need your help!"

" Your sick, Sora!" Dorobou shouted. " And you'll remain sick until you admit it!"

" Ha! Me, sick?! This doesn't concern you! Why don't you go fool around like all other boy's your age?!"

Sora once again stood up. She walked away. She left Dorobou too grief over his dole. Dorobou stared heart-broken as his aunt walked away from him.

###

Fletcher and his band of subvert pirates travelled through the forest. Fletcher laughed aloud as he walked through the forest. Supaiku and Sherry kept groining too themselves as they journeyed with Fletcher through the woods."

" Hey!" Supaiku called too his incompetent captain. Need I ask you, where is it that we're going?"

Fletcher stared up at the azure blue sky, taking a sniff of air, replied, " I have no idea."

Supaiku and Sherry crashed anime-style on the ground. Fletcher laughed as he journeyed deeper into the forest.

" I can't believe I tagged along with this nincompoop," Supaiku and Sherries thoughts joined together.

" Ooooo!" Fletcher's voice awed in front of where Supaiku and Sherry were. " I see dinner!"

Fletchers body morphed into the half birdman form. Fletcher flapped his wings, taking off–flying high the sky–Supaiku and Sherry inspecting on the bottom.

" Are you gonna go after him?" Sherry inquired too Supaiku.

" He's even lucky am with him," Supaiku replied.

###

Dorobou gloomed too the ocean. He was disrupt. He had absolutely nothing. His aunt didn't trust him, everyday he'd be hunting for fish too pay his aunts medical bills, and he also had a past that kept catching up with him.

" Why did you have too leave me, you bastard?" Dorobou cursed too the ocean in front of him.

" Ahhhhh!" Fletcher's high-pitched voice screamed in the sky. Dorobou looked his head up–Fletcher plummeted down. Dorobou started too seeing Fletcher plummeting towards him, " Ahhhh!"

Fletcher fell down, crashed into Dorobou, smoke enveloped around them, the two were discussing matters.

###

Dorobou gloomed too the ocean. He was disrupt. He had absolutely nothing. His aunt didn't trust him, everyday he'd be hunting for fish too pay his aunts medical bills, and he also had a past that kept catching up with him.

" Why did you have too leave me, you bastard?" Dorobou cursed too the ocean in front of him.

" Ahhhhh!" Fletcher's high-pitched voice screamed in the sky. Dorobou looked his head up–Fletcher plummeted down. Dorobou started too seeing Fletcher plummeting towards him, " Ahhhh!"

Fletcher fell down, crashed into Dorobou, smoke enveloped around them, the two were discussing matters.

###

Supaiku and Sherry made it out of the forest. The two's blood boiled at the mess of their so-called "captain"

" Am gonna kill that twit!" Supaiku growled.

" I'll strange him with my tail!" Sherry growled as well.

" HE'S IN SO MUCH TROUBLE!" Sherry and Supaiku unison together.

Sherry and Supaiku were in YellowHorn town. A quiet little village, Lots of tents, grassy field near the houses,

" This place looks so bizarre," Sherry commented the tiny village.

" I know," Supaiku told Sherry. " It kinda reminds me of the town me and my fishmen brothers would raid."

Supaiku and Sherry noticed the same old man Dorobou sold fish too. He carried a large wooden basket, hit a rock, apple fell out, the old man turned around, grabbed the apple and put it back in his wooden basket, turned around and walked away.

" Should we steal from him Supaiku.

" Ahhhh... Sure, why not. After all... we're pirates."

###

Fletcher helped himself too some fish–small impudent creatures swarming in the riverbank. Dorobou was very understanding and wasn't ordering Fletcher too catch him some fish, however, Fletcher insisted he'd repay him for crashing into him.

Fletcher concentrated on the river, closed his eyes, raised his left claw up– noise interrupted his actions:

" You're a pirate, right?"–Dorobou.

Fletcher fell into the river. His rear end was the first too fall and Fletcher cried on the impact. Dorobou snickered with his mouth closed. Fletcher on the other hand wasn't mad.

" Yeah," Fletcher replied . "I have a crew of two."

" Two?" Dorobou asked. " Seems kinda small. After all, most pirate captains have a crew of one hundred too a thousand, and they don't even fight well in the face of danger."

" Yeah," Fletcher laughed. " But my crews different from most peoples. I've got a fishmen and a catwoman working for me. And with you, I know things will get bettter.

" Hey," Dorobou raised his arms too Fletcher's request. " Whoever said I'll be joining 'you'? I have no interest whatsoever of being a pirate."

" But you want too travel the world." Fletcher persisted. " I can see it in your heart. Please."

" No"-Dorobou

" Please."-Fletcher

" No"-Dorobou

" Please!"-Fletcher.

Dorobou turned his head around—ignored the pestering twerp around him. The same person looked off into the sky and saw smoke arising in the distance.

" Is there barbecue around here?" Fletcher asked with awe at the smoke.

" No," Dorobou casually said. " Why do you ask?"

" Nothing really," Fletcher said. " Just the smoke."

" Smoke?" Dorobou turned around, looked up, agaped too seeing the black smoke. " Oh, god! We need too get back too the village!"

###

The old man walked along a dirt road. He whistled merrily too himself. However, he stopped moving. The old man noticed a gray cat strolling in front of him. The same cat stopped moving, staring at the old man, it's ears twitching,

" Hey there, little fella," The old man communicated flamboyantly too the cat, kneeling down, smiling/ " How would you like an apple?"

The old man reached behind his basket and pulled out a shiny red apple. The cat strolled too the man, tail swishing up. The cat soon got too the man and took a bite into his apple. One bite a time—the old man petting it for every bite; the cat purred.

Soon the apple was gone— the old man finished communicating- walked ahead of the cat.

" I'll see you soon," Old man called.

Man left the cat, puff of smoke surrounded it, Sherry appeared. Supaiku walked up from behind the and came next too Sherry.

" That was a lovable display of acting, Sherry," Supaiku complimented the catgirl. " Too bad your still ugly."

Sherry's cheeks blushed red, she put her palms over them, giggling too herself.

" Stop, your making me blush!" giggled out loud.

" I said you were ugly, hag," Supaiku back talked

" Stop! Please, it's embarrassing-"

" AHHH!" The loud cry of the old man interrupted Sherry and Supaiku's conversation.

" What the hell was that?!" Sherry and Supaiku yelled in unison.

###

Fletcher and Dorobou finally reached the village of YellowHorn. They ran for nearly a whole hour— both were low on energy— panting out their mouths. Fletcher and Dorobou focused on the pirate—vicious pirates were invading. One's stealing merchandise on local stands, some pillaging houses, others burning bottles and throwing them into house windows—an explosion came inside.

" No!"-Fletcher

" My Village!"-Dorobou

" Listen you mongrels!" A loud voice shouted.

Fletcher and Dorobou turned their heads too a lone figure on a wooden house. This figure a bald man wearing a white T-shirt belittled with barbecue and alcohol stains. His jeans had many holes in them that were poorly stitched up. His grey mustache indicated that he was at least 50-something years old. Cold brown eyes staring too the crowd.

" I, Captain GoldenFinger and my merry band of pirates, we shall kill all of you... unless, you can each pay our toll. 50 million beli for adults! 25 million for children! And if I see so much as one marine..."

Goldenfinger held a hostage up with his right hand. The image was at first hazy, just a female figure, Dorobou got his eyes closer, saw the figure:

" Aunt Sora!"

" A marine so much as touches these grounds..." Captain GoldenFinger repeated himself. " This bitch dies!"


	5. Chapter 5

Supaiku and Sherry were dashing too where the nice old man was crying. Supaiku was a fishmen, he couldn't sweat, however, he'd be drenched in his perspire. Sherry had droplets of sweat coming out her cat hair, skin, and clothes.

" Keep running!" Supaiku ordered the tired catwomen. " I won't let any benevolent people die!"

Sherry and Supaiku ran uphill; what appeared too be a giant lump coming out the ground. Supaiku and Sherry moved quick their bodies could move–three figures caught their eyes.

" Guess what, pops!" One shouted.

" We're robbing, everything you own!" The second shouted.

" So give us that basket of apples!" The last one demanded.

" Please, no!" The old man begged on his knees.

" Mwahahahah!" All three pirates heckled the old man.

Each pirates unsheated their swords. Their blades rubbed against the old man's skin, cuts along the way, making him cry.

" Hey!" Supaiku yelled, drawed the attention of all three pirates. " You better leave that old man alone, or else!"

" Or 'else' what, fishy?!" All three pirates barked.

Supaiku reached both his arms behind his head, fiddling around, pulled out three swords from behind his back–two in the left–one on the right, Supaiku looked at all three pirates and smirked, " You'll see the power of a true swordsman."

###

Captain GoldenFinger had Dorobou's Aunt Sora in his grasp. He couldn't do anything, aunt he's known all his life, a defenseless hostage, a man with a lust of evil having her next too him.

" Is there anyone who dares challenge me?" Captai nGolden Finger laughed maniacally. : Anyone? Perhaps someone who's related too this girl. If anyone wishes too challenge me, speak now or forever hold your... regret."

Dorobou felt as though he didn't have much of a choice. Aunt Sora, woman in peril. Dorobou thought of his parents at a time like this.

" You'd stop'em!: Dorobou cried in his mind. : You fight them and make them apologize for what they've done! Why? Why'd it have too turn out this way, you two?!"

Dorobou couldn't take it anymore. Crying his eyes out; his tears soak the gravel below his face. Reached his mind up, looking at the shell of a man, conveying his thoughts...

" Am gonna kick your ass!" Fletcher interrupted Dorobou's moment.

Dorobou's mouth agaped. He wanted too face off against Captain GoldenFigner. But no. It was as if he wasn't worthy enough too face him.

Fletcher hogged in all the action. A goofy grin spread over his face, Dorobou and GoldenFinger both staring at Fletcher with much dismay. GoldenFinger got tired of Aunt Sora and threw her body down.

" So, you dare challenge a pirate like me!?" Captain GoldenFinger cursed Fletcher. " Very well. I hereby accept your challenge. Meet me by the marsh, little one, unless your too swinish too show. But, you don't show, I'll kill every last person in this town, starting with your friends old hag!"

Captain GoldenFinger turned around. Ge grunted as he moved the other way of Fletcher and Dorobou. All his pirate comrades turned around and followed their captain away.

Fletcher and Dorobou were left too gawp at what had happened. However, Fletcher was too overjoyed and laughing out loud.

" Ahahahah! I finally get too be in a duel!"–Fletcher.

" Is that a good thing, you?"–Dorobou

" Course it is. Finally, I'll be able too fight too the death. It's every pirates dream too win a duel.:

Fletcher ignored Dorobou and moved inches in front of him. Dorobou felt content on following him. Dorobou caught up and his shoudlers leaned right of Fletcher.

" You, what's the plan?:–Dorobou.

" We eat than think" –Fletcher..

###

Supaiku stood over the two wounded pirates. Supaiku held one with the eyepatch by his collar, a lone figure raised up with his collar squuezed tightly, Supaiku had him and their was no chances he'd let'em go.

" So, you like too hurt old me?" Supaiku smart mouthed the figure.

The figures cerebellum couldn't feel the connection anymore, however, he had a thought and was willing too stick by it.

" You don't understand, we're simply common sailors," The man spoke out despite being manhandled.

Supaiku glared right into the figures eyes, seeing his eyes shake, set him down, conveying," Marines show no justice, you'd met one, you would be hanged."

Supaiku and the pirate both stared straight into each others eyes, Supaiku full of disappointment, pirate shivering, Supaiku took his apple out and handed it straight too the pirate. The pirate stared suspiciously at it, scared by Supaiku's intimidating appearance, snatched it away and took a bite.

" Mmmmm!" The pirate cried in joy. " It's so... juicy!"

" Here's a little word of advice, a person who's lived the same life as you, don't do a crime, you ain't prepared for the outcome."

The pirate kept nibbling on his apple, entire surface was nipped off. The pirate shoved his apple into his pockets. Turning too Supaiku, bowing, put his hands together for a prayer, prayed, " Oh please, most gracious fishmen. Please spare me. I'll do whatever you say."

" Don't listen too him, Supaiku!" Sherry shouted behind Supaiku's body. " He's just deceiving you! The moment your back's turn, he'll stab you right in the back; your kindness won't help anyone!"

Supaiku hushed Sherry, raised his right hand up, turned back too the pirate, pestered, " What's your name, boy?"

" Ch-C-Christopher, sir," The pirate known as Christopher stuttered, fishmen standing over him. " My name is Christopher Palmer. Am one of the GoldenFinger pirates most loyal members."

" Take us too your boss," Supaiku ordered. " I want too see him face-to-face. I want him too pay, capheesh?"

" Y-Ye-Yes, sir."

Christopher ran too the other side, turned his face around, seeing Supaiku and Sherry still staying in one place.

" Well, aren't you coming? It's a long walk from here."

###

Dorobou, Fletcher, and Dorobou's Aunt Sora were back inside Sora's house. Sora was in much grief, Dorobou worried over her on the other side–sat firmly on a chair. Fletcher was having the time of his life–not knowing anything about Dorobou or Aunt Sora–he ate a dozen platefuls of food.

" Dorobou," Aunt Sora said calmly, her closed eyes blocking her from seeing his face. " You've always been a good nephew. Helping me 'round the house, watching the stand, taking care of the younglings, no other parent could've wished for more. But, when I say I 'want' too 'die', you'll bloody well act my wishes."

" But I don't accept them, Aunt Sora. There has too be another way. We could work overlie at the stand, sell the crops, we can even sing too get the money. Why don't you trust me?"

Aunt Sora raised herself slowly up. She walked towards Dorobou, staring deep into his face, slapped him across the rightr side. Dorobou made a loud crashing noise.

" Don't you dare talk too your aunt, young man!. Let's not forget, I own this place and every things that's inside of it. Do-not-question me-!"

Dorobou rubbed his chin of all blood oozing out his mouth. Small tiny pieces came from the blow. Dorobou's face was bleeding bright red liquids, his aunt came up too him and pulled him away. Fletcher slowed down on his eating, took an interest with Dorobou and how his aunt was treating him.

: You say I don't 'die'!" Sherry shouted at her nephew. " Of course am gonna die. It's the very way of life, I do something, get paid on it.:

: How can you think like that?"Dorobou replied, Fletcher got up and stopped eating. " Life is precious. Noody knows when they will die.

" Aunt Sora!" Dorobou voice voiced through the area. " Stop this nonsense. We're family! And that means we'll stick out for each other!"

Aunt Sora punched him in the face. Dorobou was pushed back, slammed against the wall on the other side, groining noises came out his mouth. Aunt Sora stood on the other side of him, her fist raised from her brawl, she collapsed.

" Hey, Dorobou," Fletcher said as he finished with his meal. The mean old lady's asleep."

" She's not asleep!" Dorobou cried, he got up from the ground and ran too her. " Shit! Her conditions worsened. Those damn pirates took control of the marsh! They now have complete control over the riverbank! Oh, god, what am I gonna do!?"

Fletcher got up from his chair. He looked down and stared too the worrywart Dorobou. Tears down his eyes, hands too his mouth, cheeks red. Fletcher felt his grief–his hands tightened–frowned on his face. Fletcher made way for the exit. However, Dorobou noticed the big buffoon leaving his house.

" Hey!" Dorobou shouted. " Where do you think your going?"

" Me?" Fletcher spoke out. " Am going too kick that GoldenFingers ass, like I said."

Fletcher opened the door too Dorobou's house and walked out. Dorobou looked back at his aunt, went back too looking at the exit, sighed.

" Wait for me," Dorobou calmly called.

Dorobou ran too the door and moved outside. Sora regained some consciousness. She stared at the door, she knew Dorobou would be looking for trouble, she smiled.

" Your just like... him."

###

Supaiku, Sherry, joining them Christopher Palmer, dashed through the woods. Supaiku went through the same hardship as Christopher, reason he joined them on their crusade. However, Christopher was still loyal too his pirate captain GoldenFinger.

" How much longer till we reach base, pirate?" Sherry bedecked too Christopher.

" My captain told us we'd be setting up camp deep in the woods," Chirstopher nearly yelled, his legs refusing too stop moving.

" You care for your captain?" Supaiku felt content too ask, he couldn't sweat, he had no trouble speaking.

" No," Christopher let the truth out. " We GoldenFinger pirates... uh... we didn't ask too be near him."

" Than why are you sailing with him," Sherry pestered.

" I chose it. He showed up out of the blue, my life was at its end, villagers, rotten scum of my seas, tried too execute me. Then, he shows up and stops them with his raid."

" Oh, don't think you can cry us a river," Sherry smugged Christopher's speech. "After all, we were both forced against our wills."

" You were?" Christopher asked anxious of them.

" Yes," Supaiku answered. " We too were in death rows. I worked for a vicious sea lord. Sherry was being manhandled by a sick-minded marine. But it comes too my attention... shemight've been happy there."

Christopher stared dumbfounded, looked at the two figures behind him, smiled, he yammered, " Y'know, if I had a captain just like you Supaiku, things might not be so bad."

Christopher leaped up— long thin tongue came out— mass wrapped around a nearby tree limb. Christopher yanked himself up, perched on the tree limb. Supaiku and Sherry were both baffled by him.

" What was that?!" Supaiku stated, his voice choked up, needed force.

" You just... and the... and that..." Sherry lost track, yammered.

" I ate a Toad Toad fruit," Christopher answered them. " My power of jumping, skin, and tongue have been affected. Now, let's not dilly-dally, we've still got work too do."

###

Fletcher flied as a birdman.

Dorobou running under him. Dorobou's face burned bright, his arms were limp, followed Fletcher for 15 minutes.

" Nincompoop, slow down!" Dorobou groaned in his mind. " Slow down! You're heading in the opposite direction!"

Fletcher hadn't known how a compass worked; he had no knowledge on directions. Fletcher soared through the sky, mind full of his own incompetence, saw the sea shining ahead of him, mistaked it for "marsh"

Yahoo!" Fletcher laughed in the air. " We're getting closer!"

" You bet 'we're' getting 'closer," Dorobou groaned under his breath. " Closer too the sea."

" FLETCHER!" The rough voice of Supaiku shrieked

Dorobou slowed down when hearing Supaiku yell. Supaiku ran past him. Seeing Fletcher flying in the sky, unimpressed, enraged, let loose a small dagger out his hand and threw it towards Fletcher. Supaiku's dagger hit Fletcher right on target, Fletcher's wing pierced by the object, Fletcher descending; crashing too the ground.

" Don't worry, idiot," Sherry's voice was heard " I won't let my captain fall. Mew Mew 3rd Gear!"

Sherry's body morphed into its third form. Sherry ran up from behind Dorobou and Supaiku, made way too Fletcher, his body landed right on her back. Sherry and Fletcher disappeared in a puff of pink smoke.

" What are you people?!" Dorobou gasp seeing how Sherry disappeared in smoke.

Supaiku moved up besides him, put his arm on his right elbow, squeezing, grinning, " We're pirates."

Sherry's human body showed up out of the smoke. She carried Fletcher, massive mass of meat. She walked while carrying too Dorobou and Supaiku while Fletcher snored away.

" Here's the package," Sherry joked too fishmen Supaiku. " Is there any bone you wish me too rip out, Supaiku?"

" No," Supaiku nonchantly answered. " I'll join you in the picking."

Sherry moved in between Dorobou and Supaiku. She set her snoring captain down. Supaiku and Sherry observed him—they both stomped on him with their feet. Fletcher kept snoring.

" Ah..." Dorobou hesitated speaking, indecision on how Supaiku and Sherry were hurting Fletcher. " I don't think you should be so rough on that knucklehead. He might lose brain cells."

" He's never had any!" Both Sherry and Supaiku unison together, their feet stomping.

" Fair enough."-Dorobou.

Captain GoldenFinger was at the marsh, sitting down near the riverbank. A few fish swam past him. GoldenFinger sticked his hand in the water, one fish passing through, it froze, unfroze, it kept swimming through the river, Captain GoldenFinger laughing.

" Captain GoldenFinger!" One of the pirate captains crew member yelled behind.

Captain GoldenFinger turned around and looked at a crewmate of his. The pirate seemed around six foot three, he was insanely muscular and cut, he had spiky green hair, purple eyes, fair colored skin. He wore jeans, with two large golden bracelets that had emeralds on them.

" What is it?" Captain GoldenFinger asked, annoyed.

" Sir," The pirate stater at seeing his fearsome captain. " Our scouts have picked up four figures advancing too our camp. Any orders too stopping them, sir?"

Captain GoldenFinger never left his gaze from the pole, finger swirling around, moved his head up, looked back too his recruit, induced, " Send in Jakkaru."

###

Supaiku and Sherry were finished kicking Fletcher on the sides. Supaiku grabbed Fletcher by his collar and pulled him up. Fletcher had a convulsion from Supaiku and Sherry clouting themselves at him.

" You had us worried too death, you big buffoon!" Supaiku bellow.

" Y-you guys... worried about me?" Fletcher lamented over Supaiku and Sherry.

" Of course we were, idiot!" Sherry roared.

" We're sailing together," Supaiku stated, " Are you that shallow and pedantic, you can't understand your own followers?"

" Wake up!" Supaiku and Sherry unison.

Both pirates cried. Their tears dripped on Fletcher's clothes, absorbed. Fletcher may not understand his actions, however, he understood Supaiku and Sherry were in pain. Fletcher got up and hugged them together. Sound of them crying increased. Dorobou walked closer behind Fletcher. Christopher walked closer behind Christopher.

" Wow, this is your 'crew'?" Dorobou tried too confirm. " My, they seem so... emotional."

" I'll say," Christopher's voice said behind Supaiku and Sherry.

Everyone flinched, Fletcher noticed Christopher, Sherry and Supaiku noticing Dorobou, Dorobou seeing a catlady and a fishmen, Christopher peering at the captain of Supaiku and Sherry; a human looking specimen.

" WHO ARE YOU!" All five shouted, fingers pointed, aghast looks across all their faces.

" I'll tell you who you are, simpletons!" A voice laughed manically above.

All five turned too see the figure standing above them. He was a lean yet masculine man, wearing a yellow garment, tanned skin, orange eyes, large claws, long black hair flowing behind his head, and black ears, carrying a daito.

" Jakkaru!" Christopher announced the man above them. " W-wh-what are you doing here?"

" What am 'I' doing here?" The man scuffed. " I could ask you the same question, traitor."

" Traitor?" Christopher gasped.

" Yes. You betrayed Captain GoldenFinger, went off with these weaklings."

" Weakling?" Supaiku laughed too himself. " Well this 'weakling' is going too defeat you."

Supaiku moved in front of the group, moving towards the dog-like person Jakkaru, a daito of his own popped out his left arm.

" Supaiku, what are you doing?" Sherry said in a choked voice.

" Buying you guys some time," Supaiku replied. " Now get going. Things are going get rough ,savvy."

Christopher, Fletcher, Dorobou ran off. Sherry stayed behind. She wanted too stay behind and help Supaiku, however, something spoke too her: not too.

" You better survive this, you dolt," Sherry mentioned. " Life on a ship won't be fun without a fishmen like you."

Sherry scampered off too join everyone else, her body formed too the large grey cat.

" I must say, a fishmen who uses a sword, that's something I find ironic," Jakkaru chuckled.

" Well I've never seen a dog-demon use a deito before," Supaiku retorted.

" What, these," Jakkaru rubbed his ears, angry about Supaiku's conclusions. " These are just my good luck charms." Jakkaru detached his ears, pulled'em off. " Totally fake."

" Enough talk," Supaiku challenged. " Let's fight!"

Supaiku dashed towards Jakkaru. The dog-ear wearing swordsmen sighed, relieved his opponent was so reckless, held his sword out, he moved right— Supaiku tripped on his opponents toes, Jakkaru stabbed him in the back.

" Oh, such a dumb lil fishy," Jakkaru teased. " Didn't you know, a true swordsmen never rushes into battle?"

" Yeah," Supaiku moaned on the ground. " I've learned much, a true swordsmen never attacks a person in his back. Lucky for me, I've yet to become a 'true' swordsmen."

Supaiku raised his right arm out and extended his palm. A small blade came out, launched from his palm, shot at a tree, bounced off, redirected itself too Jakkaru.

" Bad move"-Jakkaru

Supaiku could've sweat, he actually had glands— the blade bounced off Jakkaru's body— Jakkaru perfectly fine.

" How?"-Supaiku.

" Too bad you couldn't hear, am unaffected by swords!"-Jakkaru

###

Fletcher, Dorobou ,Christopher, and Sherry were running through the forest. Fletcher had the support of his birdfeet. Christopher leaped on all four of his legs. Dorobou huff and puffed as he sweat all over his face. Sherry ran in the form of her massive cat.

" Sherry!" Fletcher yelled in the front. " How are you able too heal people?:

Sherry blused. Never before has see heard Fletcher as kher a question. It came too her attention, he didn't care: A birdman with all kinds of power.

" Well... besides my Devil Fruit allowing me too morph into a cat... my saliva has stem cells and my fur has... well, I don't know about the fur. Why the sudden interest?"

" We're friends, right? Friends ask each other questions."

Sherry blushed. Never before has Fletcher been so caring. However, it all ended between him and her, Sherry sensed another person's presence. Sherry's ears twitched, she looked all around, found the source coming on the other side.

" You guys go ahead!" Sherry shouted. "There's something I need too do."

" Okay!" Fletcher and the other two shouted in unison.

Sherry stopped running, dumbstrucked, rubbed her head, sighed, " Geez, you could at least show a little concern."

###

Supaiku and were sword clashing. Supaiku and Jakkaru slammed their swords straight in the center, small sparks clashing out, Supaiku groaining, Jakkaru laughing.

" You can't beat me, fishmen!" Jakkaru chuckled out loud. " Am invincible!"

Supaiku was too busy depending himself, sword depending, ached. Supaiku wouldn't give up. He'd fight till his last breath. Supaiku wouldn't be a crewmate of Fletcher, he already spent his life living in someone else's shadow, and however, today was anew.

" You know, I hear dogs smell when their wet," Supaiku mocked the sword-wielder. " I also hear they beg for forgiveness when hurt. That's a little somethin I'd like too see."

Jakkaru was enraged. The force of his sword became more ruthless, acing closer too Supaiku, groins of Supaiku felt his energy ending.

" Let's just see what this dog can do!" Jakkaru laughed.


	6. Chapter 6

Sherry stood firmly in place. Her hands too her side, looking forward, ttrees rastling, leaves flying down from the sk.

" C'mon," Sherry said too the area in front of her. " I know your there. You've been following us since the swordsman showed up."

A new figure revealed himself in the trees above. Adult average size and muscular, short orange fur, orange mane around his head, puffy long orange hair, and bright orange eyes.

" So, how'd you find me?" The creature laughed.

" Your not too hard to find, you," Sherry cussed. " My intincts alerted me right away."

" Very... talented. Too bad, I'll be one too finish you. I am Shi. Fear my Leo Leo!"

Fletcher, Christopher, Dorobou, Captain GoldenFinger. Around them, pirates, river, catastrophe.

" Captain GoldenFinger," Christopher solemnly greeted his captain. " I've brought your challengers.

Ah, Christopher," Captain GoldenFinger greeted, pirate too coy to leave his gaze from the ocean. " Am surprised you'd have the audacity too see me, you left me! " Sir," Christopher replied too his captain. " With all do respect, I was in a battle of life and death; I needed too find the rational way out."

" Out?" Captain GoldenFinger scolded his pirate. A true pirate would've died before he gave away his captains position. You don't deserve too be apart of my crew!"

Captain GoldenFinger scorned Christopher—made the lad quiver. Christopher knew how dangerous Captain GoldenFinger was, consumer of a Devil Fruit, known too defeat his foes with the very touch of his thumb.

Fletcher however didn't know those rumours—flew in and kicked him squarely in his face as he did a somersault, yelling, " DON'T SAY THAT TO YOUR CREW!"

Dorobou was impressed by how powerful Fletcher's moves were, Christopher shaked through his boots. No man has ever laid a hand on his captain and lived too tell the tale. Only one thing left for him too do:

" Ah, am just gonna..." Christopher dashed, getting far away from Fletcher and Dorobou, crying, " Run like hell!"

Dorobou shaked his head, staring at the ground, speaking out, " What a wuss."

###

Sherry was having the battle of her life. She finally meet a Zoan type Devil Fruit eater she could prove her skills against. This one, more ferocious from most, morphed his body. He was a lion, hunking gigantum creature, bright golden fur with red streaks, blank white eye, brown mane, two sharp teeth sticking out its mouth.

" That a gander at my beauty, girl," A rougher teasing voice of Shi laughed out loud. " I ate a Leo Leo Devil Fruit. A Zoan type fruit. I can morph my body into a lion and control any of its subspecies!"

" I'll admit, it does seem pretty impressive," Sherry answered truthfully. " But, it isn't my Devil Fruit, Mew Mew, I can tell you that."

" So what?" Shi staggered. " It's still the greatest Zoan Fruit!"

" Shi!" Christopher's voice shouted. Up above, Christopher sat on a tree branch. Looking down, seeing Sherry and Shi clashing. Sherry thought he'd come too help Shi, however, his intentions were elsewhere, " Do you know where Jakarru battling that fishmen?"

" Ah, yeah," Shi said, his tongue was numb. " Run forward, looking for a rock shaped like a man's belly, turn right, keep moving till you find'em. You can't find them, their match is done; you're too slow."

Christopher bowed his head, said, " Thank you."

Christopher leaped on all four legs. Leaping branch to branch, crushing them with his weight, sped away from Sherry and Shi's battle. " Well..." Sherry spoke vaguely. " He's in a hurry.

###

Supaiku once again jabbed a sword through Jakkaru's torso. The attack would've killed him on contact, however, the blade reflected off, pushing Supaiku back.

" C'mon," Jakkaru smugged. " At least make it a challenge for me!"

" I am," Supaiku groined. " Your just fighing like a miserable dog."

" GRRRR!" Jakkaru growled through his teeth, the noise exiting him almost identical too a dog's " DON'T CALL ME A DOG!"

Jakkaru swinged his daito at a faster and more reckless way. The sword slashed Supaiku's blade, he parried, however, both swordsman's blades couldn't touch the others skin. Supaiku however grinned through his scaly face.

" That's pretty dull skills you've got there, dog," Supaiku commented on Jakkaru's swordplay. " Kinda reckless. Where did you say you learned too swing? Then again, I bet its those clothes that's making you inperible."

" SHUT UP!" Jakkaru yelled.

" What," Supaiku acted/sounded innocent. " Am I making you uncomfortable?" Jakkaru attempted too jab Supaiku—blade missed him by an inch. " Causing you too lose your focus?" Jakkaru jumped in the air and tried hitting Supaiku—he ducked down, sliding on the ground. Supaiku made way behind him and had his right arm on his right shoulder. " Or maybe you're just a tinny bit worried I might actually..." Supaiku seized Jakkaru by his phony dog ear, pulled hin forward, whispered in his ear, " Beat-you."

" AS IF!" Jakkaru retorted. Jakkaru slammed the hilt of his sword into Supaiku's torso. Jakkaru pushed Supaiku back. Supaiku landed roughly on the ground, taken by surprise, Jakkaru walcing up too him.

" You think am afraid of You?! Ha!" Jakkaru came up too Supaiku, sword at his ready, felt the surface of Supaiku's neck. " I behead you, can you 'defeat' me, huh?!"

Jakkaru moved his sword far too the right. He was going too strike Supaiku—cut his head clean off. Supaiku just sat down and kept a smug expression.

" Well... I guess its clear too me..." Supaiku stuttered while smiling. " (smiling) Am dead."

Jakkaru swinged his sword straight towards Supaiku—very long tongue sticked out and wrapped around it. Jakkaru couldn't move his hand. He turned left and saw Christopher, above him, arms and leg sticking too a tree branch, holding himself up, his long tongue sticking all the way out.

" Leave my friend alone, Jakkaru!" Christopher yelled.

" Christopher, you traitor!" Jakkaru snapped.

" I've betrayed no one!" Christopher kept yelling/mumbling despite his tongue sticking out. " I was never a member of Captain GoldenFinger. My dream was the only reason I came on this crusade; a promise the captain gave me!"

Christopher yanked Jakkaru's sword out his hand. Jakkaru sweatdropped—tongue touched his cloak—pulled it straight off. Jakkaru wore no clothes underneath, bare chest. Supaiku took ahold of the situation, got up, and cracked his knuckles, about too attack.

" Wait!" Jakkaru pleaded, stopped Supaiku from moving. " Y-you let me go... I'll overlook this matter... my pirate buddies won't kill you."

" Oh, don't worry," Supaiku smirked. " Am not gonna 'kill' you." Supaiku pulled his right fist back, aiming for Jakkaru, taking position, yelled. " TRASH LIKE YOU AREN'T WORTH MY TIME!"

Supaiku launched his fist—Christopher astonished on the stands—Supaiku punched Jakkaru squarely in his face.

BAM!

Jakkaru fell down, burning with pain, fainted. Supaiku stood over him. Spat too his limped body, walked away. However, was stopped by Christopher.

" Boy, I don't have time for you," Supaiku sighed and said. " Now, say whatever you want, I'll be looking for my dumbass."

Supaiku strolled past Chritopher. The Devil Fruit pirate fiddled with his fingers, Supaiku ignoring him, walking away. Christopher had too speak:

" Stop!" Supaiku stopped moving, hearing Christopher's voice. " P-please... can I please by your... pupil."

###

Fletcher growled too watching Captain GoldenFinger gaiting towards him. Dorobou shaked in his boots. Dorobou witnessed firsthand the asperity of Captain GoldenFinger. He pillaged his village. Threatened too kill his aunt. He now resided in the very place Dorobou would fish—as his own personel gain.

" Aren't you two just a buncha saps," Captain GoldenFinger mocked. " What, you two wanna hurt the big bad pirate like me?"

"Am gonna beat your ass!" Fletcher shouted. " You'll pay for making my crewmate cry!"

" Am not your 'crewmate'!" Dorobou elucidated Fletcher. " Hell, I ain't even your friend!"

Captain GoldenFinger kept walking closer too Fletcher and Dorobou, making Dorobou shiver in his boots. Dorobou turned around—too afraid—ran too the other end.

" Huh?" Fletcher just noticed Dorobou's escape. " Where are you going, crewmate?"

"I AIN'T YOUR CREWMATE!" Dorobou clamored. " JUST REMEMBER! USE WATER!"

Dorobou was gone. Fletcher and Captain GoldenFinger were all alone. Fletcher could almost feel the rot onions in Captain GoldenFinger's breath. Fletcher turned around—he noticed Captain GoldenFinger in front of him. " You smell bad," Fletcher spoke.

" Thank you," Captain GoldenFinger acknowledged his own reek. " Now, prepare too die!"

###

Sherry and Shi were battling, wild beasts quarreling it out. Sherry fought in her massive cat form. Shi fought as a lion. Sherry bite her strong teeth into the giant lion. The lion yelped from the pain, swiped his right paw into Sherry's face, as she was pushed back.

" Nice try, kitty," Shi remarked. " But it'll take more than pure stout for a kitty-cat too stop a full grown lion."

" Good thing... am not an ordinary cat," Sherry roughly retorted in her cat's large lungs.

" No, but you'll be dead!" Shi roared from his mouth. His voice roared all over the surrounding area. Sherry could hear faintly—she heard roars of other animals. She had an idea: She and Shi weren't alone. Just then, dozen more giant lions(all males, have manes) came into the area, all males. " How do you like my children?" Shi said. " It took me years too gather them all, however, it was worth it."

Sherry stood on all four paws. She stared too the lions, monstrous beasts, smirked; she had a human mouth even as an animal.

" They're all a buncha freaks," Sherry taunted. " Where'd you say you got them, tool?"

" How dare you discriminate my precious children!"Shi bickered. " You'll see just how magnificent my children are! Attack her, kitties!"

All lions growled. Hair's on their manes and tails sticked up, their eyes filled in bloodlust, bushwhacked towards Sherry. Sherry tried fending herself against them, scratching them with her paws, however, she was powerless. Just like she used too be—she had no chance too defend herself and collapsed on the ground, Shi and his lion brethern laughing.

" Keep laughing, you!" Sherry groined. " The end of our battle, I'll have dominated you!"

The lions laughing died down, all staring at Sherry, Shi the only one still laughing, laughed, " Really? You really think... you can beat me?"

" I don't think so," Sherry groined. " I know so. What type of doctor would I be strucked down by goons like you?"

Sherry's legs were all limp. His bones ached; she'd been scratched too many times; all ligaments and structures of her bones were defigured—she'd no give up. All the lions except for Shi heckled the wounded Sherry. Shi just stared at her.

" Look at her," He thought. " She's nothing more but a kitty, yet she keeps getting up. What's with this girl, all mighty 'n' stuff."

" Hope you enjoyed... your time," Sherry's rough voice echoed. " I'll take you down. There's a certain person I must prove myself to. And there's a certain idiot I have as my captain, needs me to sail under his command. So do the whole world a favour. You and your pussycats can just leave me alone, and brush yourselfs of your filth."

All lions except for Shi growled. Shi stared straight into Sherry's eyes, gazed into her demeanor, felt an aura of valiance, growled, " YOU THINK YOU'RE SO HOT?! KILL HER,BOYS!"

All of Shi's lion brethern charged towards Sherry. Sharp claws shinning out their paws, wide sharp teeth shinning under the sunlight, bloodshot eyes, they were intending too kill.

" Am sorry, Supaiku," Sherry thought. " My only regret, I can't her your voice, one last time."

All lions were near Sherry—something small and fast was thrown on the tree tops. The object banged against the lion closes too Sherry. The remaining lions were all knocked down, multiple projectiles were thrown straight into their heads.

" What the?!" Shi staggered. " Who did that!?"

" That would be me," Voice of Dorobou echoed above. Dorobou jumped down from atop a tree branch. He landed on the ground, no groins or aches. Walking up to Shi, a frown on his face, said, " Y'know, I don't take money loose lightly."

" Money loose?" Sherry said behind. " What's he-" Sherry looked at the ground. She saw numerous amounts of coins laying on the ground; they were all covered in blood. " He... could he, do all that with just coins?"

Dorobou walked right up to Shi. He was still in the form of a lion—loud breathing noises escaped his mouth. Dorobou stared straight into the lions eyes, reaching into his pockets, pulled a out a rock clipped to a silver chain.

" I hope you like money, greasy," Dorobou said, spinning the rock in circles, building intensity up, thrashed his rock too Shi, yelling, " You're about to pay up!"

Dorobou's rock collided against Shi's face—force of 10 tons. Shi was pushed back by Dorobou's blow and fell straight into a tree. Numerous apples fell from the tree and buried Shi under them.

Sherry stared, a little weary. She could hardly move, scratched by sharp/long claws. Dorobou immediately pulled out a ebony leather pouch from his pockets and threw them over to Sherry.

Sherry morphed back to her human form, collasping on the ground, gasping for air, took the bag and stuffed it down her shirt(she doesn't have large enough pockets), speaking warily, " How'd you get that pouch?"

" I stole it from Captain GoldenFinger. I was hoping you guys would take him down... I get off scout free with the money. But than I saw how helpless you were... I mean, you were pretty... I decided to help out."

" Well, thank you," Sherry expressed her gratitude. Sherry opened the pouch up, tongue came out of nowhere and snatched it away. Sherry really hated Christopher; a toad man with a tongue. " Couldn't I have checked the loot first?"

Sherry and Dorobou noticed Christopher and Supaiku walking up to them. Christopher dangled the pouch of coins in his tongue. Supaiku had a book out and was reading through it.

" So," Supaiku communicated out side his reading. " I see every crewmate is here. Now we've just gotta find Fletcher and get out of this merky forest."

" Hey!" Dorobou whined. " This merky forest is my home!"

" Oh, am sorry," Supaiku said, his face lifting itself up from his reading. " This is a nice wonderland you live in."

" Now, lets not get carried away."

###

Fletcher and Captain GoldenFinger were dissension. Fletcher was in his bird form, flying overhead Captain GoldenFinger. Captain GoldenFinger remained on the ground, his arms attempting to grasp Fletcher's leg.

Fletcher flew back, wings at his ready, moved them far apart, yelled, " Wind... Scythe!"

Fletcher flapped his wings, a blade figurine of wind was realeased—Captain GoldenFinger was blown away. GoldenFinger was hurled backwards, passed two trees, he grabbed'em with both his arms, he was safe. The trees his hands were holding turned into solid gold. GoldenFinger moved one tree up—he moved it forward. One move at a time, one tree moving closer towards Fletcher, he laughed.

" Why trees change, Goldy?" Fletcher said.

" Don't you get it?!" Captain GoldenFinger laughed. " I've eaten the Gold Gold Devil Fruit. Everything I touch turns to gold! And everything made of gold I touch, they become weightless. Soon, you will be a gold piece on my mantel!"

###

Supaiku, Sherry, Dorobou, Chistopher–two crewmates looking to help their dumbass of a captain, a man wanting to see Captain GoldenFinger beg for mercy, and a former Golden pirate following his new captain.

The woods were hard to run through. They couldn't find Fletcher no matter how hard they ran or searched.

" Are you sure this is the right track, Dorobou?" Supaiku said, he a fishman, didn't sweat or get tired.

" How the fuck should I know?!" Dorobou shouted, while running affected his lungs. " I just wanted to get away!"

" Gah!" Sherry moaned out loud. " This is ridiculous! How hard can it be too find'em!? They've eaten Devil Fruits for Christ s–"

Dorobou moved on the right side of Sherry and punched her in her right cheek. Sherry was startled by the force of his punch, her masochists took over, she felt nothing put pleasure.

Her eyes watery, mouth wide open, staring directly into Supaiku's eyes, she said, " Please, punch me even harder."

" WHAT?!" Both Dorobou and Christopher yelled.

" IS SHE CRAZY, CAPTAIN?!" Christopher shouted alone.

" SHE LOCAL?!" Dorobou also shouted.

" No," Supaiku sighed through her mouth. " She's just a crazy cat."

###

Fletcher was trying his hardest not too be touched, Captain GoldenFinger tried to grab him. Fletcher was near trees–a weird/scary pirate was about to touch him, Captain GoldenFinger.

" Stand still, you little twerp!" Captain GoldenFinger yelled ticked off. " Am gonna crush you (nonchantly)."

" The hell you are!" Fletcher yelled back.

Fletcher couldn't keep up with Captain GoldenFingers speed. Fletcher couldn't believe how fast CaptainGoldenFinger was, fat; he pillaged lots of houses, yet was very nimble on his feet.

" Just give up boy!" Captain GoldenFinger laughed, his palms now touching a now solid gold tree. " I'm going to be King of the Pirates! Me and my beloved crew shall reach the Grand Line and find Roger's treasure!"

" But how can you be King of the Pirates, if I'm King of the Pirates?" Fletcher asked dumbfoundly.

" HAHAHAHAH! You, King of the Pirates?! HAHAHA! Only one person's gonna be King of the Pirates, and its gonna be me! A lil squirt like you wouldn't last three days in the Grand Line!"

" Have you ever been to the Grand Line?"

" Ahhh... that's none of your business! TIME TOO DIE!"

Captain GoldenFinger picked up a small boulder lying on the ground. The rock was instantly covered in gold. Captain GoldenFinger threw the golden rock towards Fletcher, he flied over it. The ground from whence Fletcher stood on turned into gold.

" WOAH!" Fletcher awed the attack. " THAT'S SO COOL!"

" Well... yeah," Captain GoldenFinger said dumbfoundly. " I've told you: I'll be King of the Pirates. Besides being able to turn everything I touch into gold, everything I've touched–touches, turns to gold!"

" That's lame!" Fletcher giggled.

Captain GoldenFinger mouth had agape. He's abilities have never been called lame, especially not to someone like Fletcher. He was very angry–face boiled red with his anger–developing a bloodlust of Fletcher.

" Y'know this ability saved my life," Captain GoldenFinger bragged. " I was once a poor man. I worked as a fishermen. The hours were long, the pay was terrible, and my wife and kids kept bothering me. That's when I found the Gold Gold Fruit. Surely, I was surrounded by gold, everyone kneeled down to me, even my bitch wife."

" What happened to your wife and kids?" Fletcher asked.

" Oh, their alive. HAHAHAHAH! THEIR TREASURES ON MY SHIP!"

Fletcher flew away from Captain GoldenFinger. He flew back until he perched on a nearby tree branch. Staring, hearing Captain GoldenFinger's cruel laughing noise, got angry, " YOU BASTARD! WIND...VORTEX!"

Tremendous gust of wind breezed rampantly below Fletcher. The force blew all things aside: trees, bushes, water from the lake, fish, and Captain GoldenFinger. Captain GoldenFinger grabbed the ground, turning it into solid gold, however, water flew out of nowhere and poured the golden structure, it turned back into grass.

" NO!" Captain GoldenFinger thought. " If that idiot sees my gold's weakness, am done for!"

Captain GoldenFinger looked back at Fletcher; he had nothing to fear. Fletcher was too busy–he was looking the other way, right side of the tree branch, and giggling too himself.

" So much wind!" Fletcher laughed.

" Good, he's distracted," Captain GoldenFinger thought out loud. " Now's my chance to freeze him."

Captain GoldenFinger crawled through the ground–solid chunk of gold. He made way closer to Fletcher–the boy not paying him any attention. Just than a rock was thrown at Fletcher's head. Fletcher felt no pain, caught the rock before it went straight to the ground, and opened it up.

" Yes!" Captain GoldenFinger laughed in thought. " One of his underlings is requesting help." Fletcher rubbed his head, trying to read the note, swallowed it whole instead. "The stupid barbarian! That's right, eat your paper. It'll be your last meal!"

Fletcher however wasn't done with Captain GoldenFinger. Flying into the sky, flapping his wings along the way, Fletcher flew above Captain GoldenFinger, yelling, " Wind... MONSOON!"

" WHAT?!" Captain GoldenFinger aghast.

A large tornado blew around Fletcher's body. The height of the tornado reached the sky. Captain GoldenFinger could hardly see, the wind above him was drifting, ran poured down. The rain poured down–Captain GoldenFinger couldn't use his Gold Gold Fruit–he was vulnerable.

" B-but, how?!" Captain GoldenFinger cried.

" Dorobou my ship's sniper threw me a message, and I quote: Make rain, wind-boy.

Fletcher flew down from the tree branch, stood over Captain GoldenFinger. The captain was frightened, a scary boy in front of him. Captain GoldenFinger raise too his hands and knees.

" Oh, please, don't kill me!" Captain GoldenFinger pleaded. " I would've let you go!"

Fletcher stared into Captain GoldenFingers eyes, reached his left hand out, smiled, " Don't worry, I won't kill you." The worrywart expression on Captain GoldenFinger subsided. He raised his left hand out, Fletcher squeezed his, threw him into the sky. " I just want you to pay!"

" Fletcher!" Supaiku and Sherry's voices unison.

Fletcher turned around, the four people he knew were right behind him. Fletcher smiled while looking at them.

" Hey, guys. Can you hold on for a second?"

" SAVE ME!" Captain GoldenFinger's voice cried.

Captain GoldenFinger was saved–in some ways–he was hit on the head after being caught.

" Fletcher..." All four stuttered.

" So, which way to Gold's prison cell?"


	7. Chapter 7

Captain GoldenFinger, Shi, Jakkaru, and everyone else of his pirate band besides Christopher were being carried away by a carriage.

Fletcher was in the surrounding area, looking for answers, he came to Dorobou and his Aunt Sora's house. Dorobou, Sora, Aero, and Luna were standing in front of Aunt Sora's house–Fletcher was greeting them with open arms.

" GIVE ME A HUG!" Fletcher laughed.

Aero and Luna ran up to Fletcher, their arms open, hugged Fletcher around his back. Dorobou felt a warm sensation in his chest.

" I hope that's not the chicken," Dorobou thought.

" Well, I thank you, pirate," Sora said.

Fletcher stopped hugging the children–he still rubbed their heads–allowed them too get back to their mother.

" Well... I guess this is good-bye, Fletcher," Dorobou said coyly. " Good luck on your–"

" Don't even think about it, nephew," Sora's mischevious voice said snidely. " Fletcher, take this idiot nephew with you."

Fletcher anxiously grabbed Dorobou by his cheeks, pulling him closer to his eyes, smiled, said, " It's not my choice; its Dorobou's. So, Dorobou, do you wanna be a part of my merry pirates."

" Me...a pirate... with you?" Dorobou said, looked back at his aunt, she stared heinously at him, he refocused on Fletcher. " Sure, what the hell."

" And don't you feel bad about leaving me, Dorobou." Sora lifted out a poach made entirely out of gold—it was filed to the top with gold coins. " I snag this away from that Gold bastard while he had me."

" Oh... Sora.. you'll never change."

###

Supaiku and Sherry were with the old man Christopher assaulted. Supaiku handed the old man a pouch filled with gold coins. The old man graciously taking it away, a smile on his face, he held it with both his arms, saying, " I thank you, fishmen. But why?"

" Am not like ordinary fishmen," Supaiku said. " Tell your friends about me. Tell your customers about me. They'll all know of my name... Supaiku."

" And don't forget about me!" Sherry yelled, jumped in front of Supaiku. " My name is Sherry. I am a woman of class and a brilliant doctor!"

" Of course, younglings," The old man smiled. " I wish you could stay here. I'll need extra arms in my work."

" Thanks, but we've already got someone to listen to," Sherry said. " He's annoying, loud-mouthed, hyperactivity, breathtakingly annoying, and would be completely hopeless without us. But..."

" We're glad too be a part of his crew," Supaiku answered for Sherry.

" My, don't you two make a good couple."

" Oh... " Sherry froze. "We're not really... We aren't a..."

" I already have someone else I like." Supaiku answered for her.

" WHAT!?" Sherry aghast.

###

Fletcher was in the ship's pantry. Fletcher kept grabbing pieces of meat in the pantry and taking them out. Dorobou was standing left of Fletcher, shaking his head.

" Y'know, my people get their stock once a year. Everything you take from there's all we got!"

" But I saved the town," Fletcher made pouting noises, Dorobou couldn't see him as he stuck his face into the pantry. " Don't I get a reward?"

" You're a pirate, and my people haven't killed you. That seems adepuate enough."

Fletcher took out a bag filled with goodies. A wide smile spread across Fletcher's face. Just than, feathers surrounded his skin, a beak replaced his nose. Fletcher took off—his birdfeet grasped Dorobou along the way and pulled him away.

" AHHHHHHH!"

###

Supaiku and Sherry were waiting by a cliff near the sea. Sherry kept sweeting as she reminisced on Supaiku's answer. Supaiku however just kept looking too the sea.

" So... what do you mean... you have someone special...?" Sherry hesiantly said.

" She's a beauty. I love her," Supaiku said while ignoring too look at Sherry.

" OH!" Sherry's eyes lit up. " I see where you're going with this, fishy! You're in love with swordsmanship, and she's your mistress! Am I right!?"

" Not even close, kitty," Supaiku said. " When I was a boy, there was a girl I liked, a human. She was the only human too treat me as an equal."

" Huh?" Sherry said, confused, her head tilted right. " So... what's her name?"

" Robin, Sherry. Nico Robin. She is my wife."

Just than, a ship pulled in. The ship of Captain GoldenFinger—Christopher taking control. A large yellow ship; a brigate, Supaiku assumed. The sails against the mast were a deep gold colour, a heavy contract against the yellow, large, having a handcrafted women in the front.

Christopher jumped out of the ship and landed smoothly on the ground.

" Here it is, as promised, my captain," Christopher bowed too Supaiku.

" Why are you helping us, traitoring dog!" Sherry growled too Christopher. " Last I remember, you use too be a a part of Captain GoldenFinger's crew!"

" It's true; I was a part of his crew. But I only serve the strong. And Captain Supaiku's the strongest man I've ever meet." Christopher groveled as he talked, knelled too the ground. " Please teach me everything you know, captain."

Supaiku and Sherry were already aboard GoldenFinger's ship—Christopher jumped too seeing them gone.

" Not a very sturdy ship here, Christopher," Supaiku said. " The reel is damaged, there's no cannons in the gunports, no crow's nest on any of the masts, and the helm's snapped in half. How in heaven's name did you get this thing too move?"

" Well... " Christopher stuttered to say. " The thing is... I really have no idea."

" Let me get this straight," Sherry interjected. " You sailed something like this and expected it too get through the Grand Line?"

" Well... the thing is... I was forced to follow Captain GoldenFinger since I am his slave. I never wanted too be a pirate."

" Than what did you want too be?" Both Supaiku and Sherry said together.

" All I ever wanted... too find the All Blue."

" The All Blue?" Supaiku and Sherry questioned together.

" What, you've never heard of it? Well... there are four regions. There's North Blue. South Blue. East Blue. And there's West Blue. Different types of fish swim in each Blue. But the All Blue's where every fish reside. My dream is to find the All Blue."

" You have a dream!" Fletcher's loud voice shouted. " Welcome aboard!"

All three turned their heads around—Fletcher flew towards them. Fletcher zipped past them, heading for Captain GoldenFinger's ship, perched on top of a mast.

" Fletcher...?" Supaiku said. " GET DOWN FROM THERE!"

" Gah, this spot doesn't feel right," Fletcher complained. " Hey, I know what to do! Wind... Tornado!"

Fletcher flew straight into the air. He banged both his hands together, giant tornadoes came out of his hands. The tornados surrounded the ship, lifting it up, all four crew mates mouths agape: Supaiku, Sherry, Dorobou, Christopher.

Christopher moved up to Supaiku, hugged him, saying, " Don't worry about him, captain. I'll always be yours and yours alone crew mate."

" Thanks," Supaiku grunted. " Now get your hands off my body, before I pry them away."

The wind fletcher created was gone—the ship returned too its spot. A whole new ship appeared before them. A galleon, made of green wood—the winds of Fletcher dyed'em, three mast's sticking out; one big mast with a crow's nest in the middle, a cabin in the back, and a handcrafted pelican's head in front.

" WOW!" Everyone awed.

" That looks so cool!" Christopher awed the loudest.

" Thanks," Fletcher laughed on the new ship's mast.

" How'd you create something like that, Fletcher?" Supaiku asked.

" I used my... imagination."

" Are you retorting we've got no imagination," Dorobou snidely replied. " I have more 'imagination' in one finger, than you four have in your whole bodies."

" Everyone, shaddup," Supaiku retorted. " Let's just get on that ship and get away from this hell hole."

" Exxxcuuuuuse meeeeeee..." Dorobou aghast. " This hell hole's my home."

" Oh, am terrible sorry," Supaiku apologized nonchantly. " Let's get on that ship and get away from Dorobou's hell hole."

###

Everyone were prepared too take off. Fletcher perched on top the pelican's head. Dorobou and Supaiku worked together too raise the sails. Sherry sat in the crow's nest. Supaiku manged the wheel.

The ship's green sails blew in the breeze. The group's ship started moving away from the port, however, stopped, Dorobou recognised someone he knew back on the island:

" Aunt Sora!"

Surely, there was Aunt Sora and her two children. Aunt Sora had a smile spread across her face, her children also smiling, gazing at the boat, crying, " Go have an adventure... I'll always love you, Dorobou."

Dorobou could hardly hold his surprise, smiled, said, " I'll come to see you, Sora. Just stay alive until that day."

###

Dorobou could no longer see his island. He sighed through his mouth; he had started an adventure. He would count the day's until he would return. But for now...

" HEY, DOROBOU, COME JOIN US!" Fletcher laughed.

Dorobou looked at Fletcher—the rest of his crew—each one were standing in a circle and had mugs of alchohol in their hands.

" S...sure," Dorobou was hesitant too act.

Dorobou walked up to everyone, he was handed a mug of alchohol, and joined everyone in their sot group.

" TOO DOROBOU!" Fletcher laughed.

" TOO CHRISTOPHER!" Supaiku and Sherry laughed together.

" TOO OUR SHIP!" All of the crewmates laughed.

Sora was back in her home. She was sitting on a chair, staring at the table, looked at a picture of Dorobou when he was a young boy.

" My..." Sora reminisced. " They sure grow up fast."

" Mommy," Aero's voice said on the other side of the table. " Why is Dorobou leaving us?"

" Oh, you know youre cousin. He's off on another one of his adventures. Besides actually having a heart, he's just like his father. Hey, Aero, did I ever tell you how Dorobou's father was a pirate."

" No."

" Well...anyways...Dorobou's father left him with his mother at a very young age. I decided to take care of Dorobou in his fragile state. Still, I couldn't stop him from hating his parents.

" What do you think will happen too Dorobou on a pirate's ship?" Aero innoncently asked.

" Who knows.

###

Fletcher's crew had their own things too do. Fletcher flied around the ship's pelican head. Supaiku swinged one of his katana while reading a small notebook. Sherry had a board of fish in the middle of the ship and dropped spices onto them. Dorobou threw coins at the mast–they seeped into the wood. Christopher was in side the ship's cabin, cooking.

" THIS IS SO COOL!" Fletcher awed while flying around the ship's pelican head.

" Geez," Dorobou wisecracked while throwing small coins. " He sure is a lively little dumbass, ain't he?"

" Get used too it," Supaiku spoke while swinging his sword. " He's your captain now, and you're gonna go through the same kinda hell I've gotta go through."

" Yeah, he is pretty obnoxious," Sherry accede while putting spices on top of her fish. " But at least he's strong."

" Yeah, how'd he get Captain GoldenFinger airborne? Sure, something like that would've been possible for a normal human being."

" Believe me, Fletcher's anything but normal," Supaiku riposte.

" Captain Supaiku," Christopher tittered. " I've prepared a special dish for you, my high 'n' mighty."

" 'cuse me..."

Supaiku followed the sound of Christopher's voice–he stood outside a ship's cabin. An array of food was on the ground. Tangerines, chestnuts, fish, cherries, salad, and beef. Supaiku saw Christopher, a meek man, holding his hands out too the food.

" I was thinking of preparing a special dish for you, captain," Christopher tittered. " But I don't know which ingredients too use. Perhaps you can give me some ideas."

Supaiku studied each of Christopher's ingredients. He moved his head above the ingredients, staring down at them, rubbing his chin, him muttering"

" Maybe..."

" FOOD!" Fletcher's squall voice broke Supaiku's concentration.

Fletcher came, human bodied, snatched the food away–Fletcher shoved them down his mouth. Fletcher kept grabbing food away and shoving them down his mouth. Christopher and Supaiku both agaped seeing Fletcher shove the food down his gulch. Christopher's face boiled, he disapproved of Fletcher's eating.

" DON'T EAT MY CAPTAIN'S FOOD, IDIOT!"

Christopher stuck his tongue out; it extended out and wrapped around Fletcher's neck. Fletcher "GASP" too having his neck crushed by Christopher. Choking noises were heard from his mouth.

" Gah... W...w-why are you... gah... strangling me?" Fletcher choked.

" Because you touched my captain's food!" Christopher ululated.

" B-but...gah... I'm the captain."

Christopher loosened his grip on Fletcher's neck–he fell too the ground. Fletcher breathed air into into his mouth. Christopher stared angrily at Fletcher, disapproved of his attitude, walked away, however, not far–he moved too the other end of the display.

" So... what will it be, Captain Supaiku?" Christopher said nonchantly.

###

Everyone were sitting on the floor. Each had their own meals. Fletcher had a racket of meat with brown sauce on it. Sherry helped herself to a stick of fish. Dorobou ate ramen in a bowl with chopsticks. Supaiku ate salad mixed with different meats–Christopher rubbed Supaiku's back.

" How are you enjoying your meal, captain?" Christopher said.

" Its pretty good," Supaiku said, mouthful of food. " But, you don't have too work so hard."

" ARE YOU KIDDING!" Sherry and Dorobou yelled in unison, Fletcher had a mouthful of meat in his mouth.

" He's only been cooking for you!" Sherry quibbled

" Yeah, why does he get to choose his own ingredients, we have to eat what we can find?" Dorobou moaned

" The captain always gets more food; the captain works harder than anyone else," Christopher said, his arms still rubbing Supaiku's shoulders.

" FLETCHER'S THE CAPTAIN!"

" YEAH!" Fletcher replied, swallowed his food.

" Hmph."

###

Everyone was done eating. A large bone of meat, skeletons of fish, empty bowl of noodles, as Christopher was left cleaning up.

Supaiku helped Christopher. Christopher picked up the bowl of ramen. Supaiku had the bones. Christopher stuck his tongue out–ladder for him and his captain–the blue sea.

" Are you sure we should be doing this, Christopher?" Supaiku said too his pupil.

" Of course am sure, captain," Christopher assured. " I use to do this all the time when I was a pirate on Captain GoldenFinger's crew."

" That reminds me... how come you helped me?" Supaiku asked. " Sure, you'd probably be sent to prison if you didn't, but why did you do?"

" Isn't it obvious? You are the strongest warrior I've ever seen."

" Me?" Supaiku quibbled. " You think am the greatest warrior you've ever seen? Christopher, you have a lot too learn in your life. Am a cheat and a deceit. I'm a pirate because my captain's the only one who'd accept me. Fishmen aren't welcomed; we're believed to be a plague of the sea."

" B-but... but..." Christopher stuttered himself to find the right words. " That's not true. You saved my life; you gave me food. Even now, you're helping me do your captain's labor, captain."

" Hmph. Whatever."

Supaiku and Christopher reached the end of Fletcher's tongue. Supaiku hurled the bones way out into the ocean. Christopher sticked the bowl of ramen into the water, scrubbing its insides with his hands, getting the noodles out, and poured the water out; he lifted the bowl up.

" So..." Christopher willed himself to keep talking. " How long have you been with Fletcher?"

" Not long not long. Just 3 days. How long have you been a pirate/slave of Captain GoldenFinger's crew?"

" Not long not long," Christopher replied. " Just... a year."

" A YEAR?!" Supaiku outcried. " That's more one-hundredth a person's whole life! How can you sail with such a dunce captain for over a year!?"

" How does a fishmen follow a human captain?" Dorobou claimed.

" Touche."

" I stayed because I wanted to survive. I wanted to live to see the All Blue. I lived so the way would come, I would leave Captain GoldenFinger, and get my own fish restaurant." Christopher sighed through his mouth. " Unfortunately, that ideal seems like nothing more than a dream."

" I conquer," A different males voice said somewhere around them. " A dream shouldn't be something you follow. A dream should be something to put your mind at ease."

" WHA?!" Supaiku and Christopher both aghast too hearing the males voice.

Lighting and ice surrounded Christopher and Supaiku. Both pirates turned around and squeezed each other's bodies. A vortex of spinning ice and lighting surrounded the two. In the eye of the vortex, a figure's shadow could be seen.

" So... you're Supaiku the sword-wielding fishmen, and Christopher the cook of Captain GoldenFinger's crew?" The figure said in a snidely voice, both Supaiku and Christopher shaked their heads. "Take me to your captain and I won't kill you."


	8. Chapter 8

Sherry had a stethoscope against Fletcher's chest. Fletcher laughed as the cold steel touched his bare skin.

" I have to admit, you're much more masculine than I anticipated," Sherry said.

" Thanks!" Fletcher laughed.

" Your diaphragm and heart appear to be functioning extraordinarily well. No signs of a contusion. I also did a prostate exam and everything appears fine.

" Thanks!"

" Now, why did you ask for a check-up again?" Sherry said, tilted her head right.

Fletcher's face surprisingly became depressed, he looked at the ground, fiddling with his fingers, said, " I don't think I'll be around much longer."

" What do you mean?"

" I'm half-roc. I can use powers like my father, however, am still half-human. It happens every time I use my powers: a little piece inside of me gets damaged. If I keep using my powers, I'm going to die."

" Is that why you want to be King of the Pirates, Fletcher?" Sherry comprehended. " You think there's an item there that'll make you a human?"

" No," Fletcher said. " I think there's an item there that will make me a full roc. It's always been my dream to fly in the sky with my father. Maybe, suppose my dream does come true, I'll finally be able find a wife"

" Wow," Sherry thought. " Fletcher's actually pretty cool when he's not vandalizing people's properties or laughing like a child. Maybe he could be the one..."

" FLETCHER G. PERKMAN!" Another man's voice yelled. " I'VE FOUND YOU!"

Fletcher and Sherry, as Dorobou slept near the mast; he woke up, saw a new figure before them, Supaiku and Christopher shaking behind him. A monk stood before him. He was hardly compared to a guy and could be mistaken for a figure carried a long wooden staff with three diamonds on it: red, blue, yellow. He was a monk.

" Ah... Ah, who are you?" Fletcher said to the man.

" I didn't think you'd understand me. No one understands the worlds greatest assassin. Yokai, here to extinguish you and leave your crewmates to mourn over your death.

Yokai rushed over to Fletcher. He spinned his staff savagely in circles as he headed straight for him. Fletcher however didn't move.

"Wind...Vortex!"

A large windstorm blew around Fletchers body. The wind blew back everything in its way: Sherry, Dorobou; couldn't move because his legs were wrapped around the mast, Supaiku and Christopher–Supaiku held onto the floor's wood and Christopher clinged onto Supaiku's legs.

" Hold on!" Supaiku shouted to Christopher, his hands prod into the wood.

" Don't worry about me, captain!' Christopher shouted. " I won't let go!"

Yokai didn't move from where he was standing. His staff sticked into the ground, Yokai smirking too Fletcher, one eye closed and the other one open.

" My, my, aren't you the feisty one," Yokai said. " Too bad... it's time someone turned on the heat. Anicient Art of the Elementals: HI!

A small flame burned through Yokai's staff, the whole area burned with flames.

" What's happening?!" Christopher yelled more than asked.

" It's the oxygen, Christopher!" Supaiku explained. " Fire is an exothermic chain reaction. It is called exothermic because it produces heat and is called a chain reaction. Oxygen is always one of the main ingredients in fire."

Fire is an exothermic chain reaction. It is called exothermic because it produces heat and is called a chain reaction. No matter what fuel if burning, oxygen is always one of the main ingredietns in fire. The same kind of oxygen in Fletcher's wind attacks.

" So, pretty much, Fletcher is screwed?"

Sherry rushed in, grabbed Fletcher by his collar, pulled him back and away from the flames.

" Interesting," Yokai thought to himself. " This captain has a crew willing to rush into danger and save their captain. But...Ancient Art of the Elementalists: KOORI!"

Multiple ice shards fired out Yokai's staff. The shards headed straight for Sherry, however, Fletcher stood up and allowed himself to be struck by the ice.

" FLETCHER!" Everyone's voices except sleeping Dorobou's gasped.

" So, he's a captain willing to puthimself in front of a moving weapon to save his comrades. But his female crewmate..."

Yokai walked forward. He walked past Fletcher and moved up to Sherry; she growled through her mouth. Yokai reached his hands out and clasped Sherry's under his hands.

" Forgive me for before, my lady," Yokai buttered Sherry up. " You're a fine woman."

" Am fine?" Sherry snapped

" I will be honest too you. I am a very lonely monk. It's just me, a shame to my family line, in a world I've yet to understand. And... I wish for you to bear me a child."

Everyone except the monk's mouths agaped; Fletcher smiled. Fletcher pumped his fists In the air and jumped up.

" Yay! Sherry's gonna be a momm–"

" IDIOT!" Supaiku shouted, smacking Fletcher behind his head.

" W-wha...what?!" Sherry aghast. " Ew. Me, child, with you? EWWWWW!"

" I know, I don't seem like much. But give me sometime. I might just grow on you as I rav... AHHH!"

Dorobou threw a small coin at Yokai–the coin hit him in his right arm. Yokai dropped his staff–Christopher unleashed his long tongue and stealed it away. Yokaio was defenceless, the grip on Sherry's arms tightened Yokai's .

" Sorry, I'm not ready to conceive," Sherry smugged. " But I will enjoy watching you be confined in our prison cell."

" Gosh," Yokai frowned. " You guy's seem kinda jagged. Can't a monk have a break around here?"

" NO!" Everyone but Fletcher yelled in unison.

Sherry had her arms tight around Yokai's, however, Fletcher pushed her out of the way. Fletcher took up the task of squeezing his arm, looking him straight into the ways, smiling, he said, " How'd you like to join my crew?"

" WHAT?!" Everyone around Fletcher and Yokai yelled.

" He nearly took me back to his house!" Sherry shrieked

" What would he be able to do there?" Fletcher cluelessly said.

" YOU'RE A HOPELESS CASE!" Everyone around Fletcher yelled.

" Sure," Yokai grinned. " I'll be a part of your crew."

" WHAT?!"

" I'll even take you too the people who hired me.

###

The group sailed where Yokai wanted them to go. Everyone was positioned. Fletcher sat cross-legged on the pelican head. Sherry was peering out into the ocean on the safety of the crow's nest. Christopher was fishing with just a wooden pole and a small string attached to it. While everyone was near the ship's helm: Supaiku-steering, Yokai-meditating, Dorobou-sleeping.

" Turn... left... than right..." Yokai muttered in his sleep.

" How can you know where you're going; you aren't even looking?" Supaiku growled to Yokai.

" I have a staff that can manipulate fire, thunder,water–my talents also include my third eye." Yokai said to Supaiku, his eyes still half-asleep.

" How's your third-eye work?" Supaiku said

" See, I'm a holy man. We believe in divine spirits. My father believed in the spirit Hera. She's always in my mind, I just don't know it, she races through me and points out the truth. Right now, she's leading me too Nasuda.

" How long until we're there, Yokai?" Fletcher asked in front.

" Not long. At the speed we're moving... not to mention the weight in the hull... I say we'll be there in... 2 hours."

" Not to worry, cap'n," Christopher assured. " I'll have your lunch and dinner ready at no time at all. You can count on me."

###

Everyone but Supaiku and Yokai were sitting in the centre of the ship. Christopher made a throng of fish dishes: boiled lobster, salmon, swordfish, and cut meats of a shark.

Christopher had his arms crossed, everyone was eating his food, there was no Supaiku, grumbled, " Why did things have to be like this?"

" Sorry, Christopher," Supaiku atoned at the wheel. " Fishmen don't eat other fish. We will however eat humans."

" YUMMMM!" Fletcher admired. " This foods so good!"

" Yeah, Christopher," Sherry agreed. " How did you learn to cook so well?"

" Well, my mother taught me as a child. Than I was trained by a friend of my father. By the way, Supaiku, what do your species gorge, cap'n?"

" Am the captain," Fletcher barked, Christopher ignoring him.

" Pretty much anything, I guess," Supaiku said. " We fishmen especially like our greens, different types of meats; we don't like too have fish, and minerals such as in rocks."

" YOUR SO COOL!" Christopher awed.

" Geez," Sherry thought. " Can our cook be anymore of a dunce?"

Meanwhile, Yokai was having a nightmare. His mind went wild, thinking about tragedy, he drifted into his mind...

###

Yokai was in a dark room. The room was a purple-darkish mist, shadows of humans seen throughout the room, and shadows of flying beasts above.

A figure showed up in the room. He was oddly dressed, his clothes being a mix of punk, goth and rocker. The pieces unique as if he had made either them himself or got them made by a tailor. He had short black hair. A diamond ring pierced into his right ear.

" Lea!" Yokai gasped too seeing his employer. " W-wh-what are you doing here?"

" You know very well why am here, you no good traitor!" Yokai's leader smirked. " I don't approve of this. You're leading them into a spider's web , and it almost amazes me you've no idea of the consequences that lie ahead. "

Yokai tried to ignore Lea–he couldn't keep track of what he would say–his eyes took over his actions and they were closed..

" You cannot hurt me, I am a man of antiquity, Lea."

" True, I can't hurt you as a monk, Yokai," Lea smugged. " However, I can however torture your newfound friends. Their agony will be satisfying enough to fill my bloodlust. Watching them bleed will be a gift sent by the–"

" YOU STAY AWAY FROM THEM!" Yokai clamor, he totally lost his concentration, shouted to Lea.

" Ah, do I sense a hint of dispute, Yokai?" Lea snided. " Yes... I believe I do. You actually cheerish these mulling creatures? Well... let's put your loyalty to the test."

###

Yokai snapped from his sleep. His face drenched with sweat, his palms numb, grasping the hilt of his staff, he was petrified. Yokai however ignored his fears and joined the rest of the crew front of deck. All their actions:

Fletcher and Dorobou entered a coin throwing contest–Dorobou utterly defeating Fletcher–Dorobou hitting the "BULLSEYE", Fletcher getting a misfire.

Christopher tested new foods on Supaiku–all of which Supaiku "loved"

Sherry was secretly reading Supaiku's notebook–Supaiku could see her, but decided to let her be.

" I'm sorry everyone," Yokai thought. " Our time together may be short. But at least everyone of you shall live..."

###

Everyone was tired.

Fletcher slept on the ship's handcrafted pelican head.

Supaiku made a tent of swords, a circle stuck in the ground, some laid flat for cover, no one knew he was sleeping.

Sherry morphed herself into a little kitten and curled up into a ball.

Dorobou laid near the ship's mast.

Christopher wrapped his tongue around one of the ship's poles and was dangling under it.

Yokai was upset, he mediated next to the ship's helm, he rubbed his green hair, sleeping, thoughts started to ponder him:

" We're here...I am sorry, my friends." Yokai opened his eyes, his emotions becoming overwhelming , shouted, " GUYS! WE'RE HERE!"

Everyone had their own mishaps:

Fletcher eyes were still wary and his feet enfeeble, he slipped on top of the ship's head, fell into the ocean.

Christopher woke up, his tongue lost it's grip and he fell...

Dorobou felt Christopher's body crush his crotch, Christopher crashed on him.

Dorobou fell down and landed on Sherry's cat tail.

The cat form of Sherry flipped–jumped in the air, air standing up, talons sticking out, she turned around and scratched Dorobou's face.

Swords fell down–Supaiku was completely unharmed unlike the rest of the people in the ship. He found them all lying on the ground, eyes twirling in circles, hands stretched out.

" Geez, talk about lazy."

" YOKAI!" Sherry, Dorobou, and Christopher stood up as they yelled in unison. " WHAT'S THE DEAL?!"

" Sorry, its just we've arrived at Nasuda Island." Yokai sheepishly said.

" WHAT?!" The trio of pirates unison, there heads turning to Nasuda island, Sherry the first to act, " Aw yeah!"

###

The group were on the island.

Lustious green palm trees all around, clean soil on the ground, rocks all around, and a large mountain at the other end.

Fletcher, Supaiku, Yokai and Christopher were on the island.

Sherry and Dorobou protected it, Sherry waving good-bye, Dorobou sleeping near the mast.

" Be back soon!" Sherry called. " And Supaiku, I can't wait for the next time you come back and... well, you know... batter me."

" LIKE HELL I WILL!" Supaiku shouted..

" Oh, you're so cute when you're angry!" Sherry ignored Supaiku's anger, wooed herself in the intoxication of Supaiku's words.

" So..." Yokai questioned over the situation. " Maiden Sherry's a masochistic?"

" The biggest in the world!" Supaiku groaned.

" Anyways, let's not waste time, we should make haste, too the base of Nasuda Island and to the hideout of my evil lords."

The group moved away from the site.

Sherry stopped waving, she had no more reason too impose, turned around and went straight to Dorobou.

Sherry shaked him by his shoulders, her claws sinking into his arms, she yelled, " WAKE UP!"

" Hmmmmm," Dorobou moaned in his sleep, he managed to wake up. " Ah, Sherry, you're here."

" Of course I'm here, idiot! Someone has to take care of the ship. And that someone is you!"

" Huh? Why me?"

" Because," Sherry walked to the edge of the boat, raised her legs up, jumped off, landed on the hard soil below, " I want to explore."

Sherry started moving through the forest. Her ass cheeks were raised up high, she started to explore, leaving Dorobou too stare lazily at her.

" Whatever...Zzzzzzzz"

###

Yokai lead the group.

Yokai swinged his staff forward to knock any leaves in her way aside.

Fletcher laughed out loud. Supaiku following close behind, Christopher waving a giant leaf as a fan to comfort Supaiku of the heat.

" Y'know," Christopher awed when saying. " Your scales are so glossy!"

" Um... thanks," Supaiku felt uncomfortable, said nonetheless.

" Focus people, focus," Yokai said. " We're only a few yards away from the base. The people who've hired me, they're bad people."

" That reminds me," Supaiku replied. " Why'd you agree to join Fletcher's crew; a moment ago you wanted too kill him."

" Ah... " Yokai said, trying to reminisce " See... the thing is... I don't know."

Christopher and Supaiku agaped–they couldn't believe what they just heard. Yokai however ignored their expressions, and Fletcher continued to walk close behind him.

" This guy is really stupid, eh, Captain Supaiku," Christopher yammered.

" He's perverted as well," Supaiku agreed. " But it's the captain's decision on who picks his crewmates."

" Yeah, this has been a question I've had for quite some time: why do you follow this nincompoop?"

Supaiku turned his attention too Christopher–Christopher wasn't gonna make his next choice of words an easy decision. However; Supaiku was good at dealing with hard decisions, his words:

" Think of it as this: A person can work under someone's command, but he really wants the freedom to follow his own path. Whatever choice we make, we live through it until the very end."

" I guess, that kinda makes sense, Supaiku," Christopher concur. " But you're still holding something from me, and am not too happy about your lying."

Supaiku picked up his pace–he was moving twice as fast as Christopher was. However, he stopped moving, a strange buzzing noise was heard in the air. Christopher looked up and saw a small yellow orb of light zipping towards him.

" WHAT THE F–"

The orb rammed into the crew( yeah, light can't actually do that) and sucked them in–the light was gone, Supaiku and Christopher were gone.

###

Sherry was prowling through the woods.

However, she stopped moving when she saw something on the ground.

Sherry moved up too the piece of cloth and examined it:

" This is a piece of cloth, white, maybe part of a marine's, it's fragrance is 2 months old..." Sherry looked up, another large yellow orb headed straight for her.

The orb rammed into Sherry, loud crying noises heard on the other end, the light faded, she was gone.

###

Another orb headed straight for Dorobou on the ship–he would've been able to get away from him–he wasn't too busy sleeping.

The light got closer to him, its intensity got into his eyes, he took out a pair of black sunglasses and placed them over his eyes.

Light consumed his body.

###

Yokai and Fletcher were exploring deeper into the woods.

Yokai kept his eyes closed; he relied on his third eye too guide him. Fletcher walked up behind him, however, his eyes were closed the entire time.

" Fletcher!" Yokai shouted, Fletcher stopping in his tracks, eyes still closed, " Don't move."

Fletcher's eyes were still weary, however, he opened them, drowsily said, " Huh?"

" There's this aura I sense. Could it be..."

" That's right," A rough voice said above him. " It's me, your employer, Lea! Nice to see you've brought Fletcher as I asked."

" WHAT?!" Fletcher tumulted to hearing Lea talk. " Yokai, you know this guy?!"

" Sadly, yes," Yokai replied. " Fletcher, this is my uncle, Lea Gatsuhen. One of the most notorious assasin in the world."

" That's right, nephew," Lea snidely surprised. " And I can personally say, taking care of you after your father, my brother died, has been an absolute disappointment."

" WHAT?!" Fletcher yelled. " YOU CAN'T SAY THOSE THINGS TO YOUR NEPHEW! AREN'T YOU GUYS FAMILY!?"

Yokai gloomed as Fletcher defended him. Yokai's body quivered, he couldn't believe it if he hadn't already felt it, he was ashamed.

" Fletcher, your such a sap," Yokai grieved in his mind.

" Heh heh heh!" Lea heckled through his mouth. " Oh, I can, and I will! You want to spend time with him, be my best; you'll be having as much time with him... my personal little underworld!"

" NO!" Yokai shouted, raising his hand to his uncle. " LEA, YOU CAN'T!"

" That's right," Lea smugged. " Grovel to me. Just like your father did; before I kill you. You, and your friend, prepare to spend the rest of your lives..." a small yellow orb of light zoomed overhead Lea, he laughed, " …IN HELL!"

The yellow orb zoomed straight for Yokai and Fletcher–Yokai was ashamed as he could be–the orb touched him and swallowed him in along with Fletcher. Cries were heard(mostly curses of Lea), the light faded, and Fletcher and Yokai were nowhere to be found.

" Let's put your skills to the test, dear nephew!" Lea cackled. " You and your friends shall face my league of assassins!"


	9. Chapter 9

Christopher didn't know where he was. He was in some king of tunnel, torches and skullheads on the wall, purple bricks making up the tunnel, and chandeliers overhead.

" Captain?" Christopher called for Supaiku. " Captain, where are you?"

Christopher stood up and brushed himself off of any particles of dust. Christopher than made his ay through the tunnel, the halls becoming more and more gruesome; there were more lifelike skulls scattered around the walls. Christopher however tried to ignore them–he simply didn't care–he feared the well-being of his captain.

" This is strange," Christopher thought. " A moment ago me and Captain Supaiku were together. Why were we seperated?"

Christopher stopped moving, he found something. A till stood out from the rest. Red, taken up four tiles, a white skull and cross-bones all over it.

" Heeellllooo," Christopher said to the tile. " What do we have here?"

Christopher backed away from the tile. He opened his mouth up wide and his tongue moved over too the tile–he had touched the skull on it, multiple javelins were fired in every direction.

" So, there is traps in this room, eh? Better be on my guard."

Christopher tried too be cautious of what traps laid dormant ahead, however, he was closer through the hallway and saw multiple tiles everywhere he turned.

###

Fletcher and Yokai were together.

Fletcher was on top of Yokai–he feared for the monk's safety. The monk was unconscious with his eyes closed and gasping in low amounts of air through his mouth.

" Yokai...?" Fletcher gasped as he pushed both his arms against Yokai's unconscious body. " Yokai?!" Fletcher got on Yokai and banged his fists against his chest. " YOKAI!"

Yokai however couldn't hear Flethcer–his mind listened to the pictures of his past–he adrifted.

His hair was a pale bluish color, with electric blue streaks. He had an old brown trenchcoat on that had probably seen better days, the cuffs pulled up and unbuttoned. Underneath was a plain white t-shirt, and he had ratted jeans on, along with old tennis shoes. What was exposed of his arms and hands were wrapped up in white medical bandaging, as if he was hurt recently. Several scars laced his face, one most notable clear across his cheeks and nose, from one end clear to the other. His eyes were icy blue, as if to match his hair. He had his face curled up in a huge smirk.

Flashback:

A younger Yokai was having dinner on the floor, a bowl of rice, using a pair of chopsticks. His father walked into the room. His hair was a pale bluish color, with electric blue streaks. He had an old brown trenchcoat on that had probably seen better days, the cuffs pulled up and unbuttoned. Underneath was a plain white t-shirt that he had rattled jeans on, along with old shoes. What was exposed of his arms and hands were wrapped up in white medical bandaging, as if he was hurt recently. Several scars laced his face, one most notable clear across his cheeks and nose, from one end clear to the other. His eyes were icy blue, as if to match his hair. His father held a staff out and than he threw it towards his son.

" Dad?" Younger Yokai said to his father. " What's this?"

" Happy birthday, son," Yokai's father said, a wide smile on his face. " I think your old enough too follow Hera's voice. And me, you, and your uncle Lea will be hunting down demons in the forest. But first..." Yokai's dad flashed a bowl of rice to his son. " Let's eat."

###

Young Yokai was looking through the forest. He raised his staff up to defend himself, however, he didn't prepare for a creature attacking him from behind. A small pitch black dragon with red eyes and a short snot swooped in and tried to apprehend young Yokai.

" Stay where you are son!" Yokai's father yelled. Yokai's father jumped behind the beast and whacked it's head .The tip of his staff unleashed flames. Ancient Art of the Elemental's: Hi!"

Flames erupted from Yokai's fathers staff and surrounded the great beast. The creatures body burned away into small black patches of dust.

Yokai covered the entire time–his father just defeated the beast. Yokai's father put his staff down.

He moved to Yokai and clapped both his hands too his son's cheeks.

" Yokai, thank the goddess you're okay," Yokai's father atoned.

" Dad...?" Young Yokai hesitated to say. " Why were we attacked?"

" Isn't it obvious son? We were intruding someone else's territory. Once you invade, its either you or them that answers too Hera." Yokai's, father moved his son's forehead closer to him and kissed him on his forehead. Yokai's father moved him back and let him see his crying eyes. " I'm just glad you're okay. And I have myself to thank for it. Not Hera, myself."

" Dad? I want to be strong like you."

" And you shall, Yokai. But as Hera's gone through many trials–you'll need to work your very best." Yokai's father kneeled down and kissed his son on the forehead. Yokai instantly froze. Yokai's father backed away and pat his son on the head. " I know you'll make me proud, my son."

Flashback End.

" You were always there for me father," Yokai reminisced. " Even when things seem rough; I knew you'd take care of me. But... How could you betray me, Lea?!"

###

Christophertried his very best to step away from the tiles and make it too the other end.

Christopher moved one step.

Christopher moved another step. Beads of sweat dripped down his face.

" Okay, there's no reason to worry," Christopher fretted inthought. " Sure, you're in a place you've never seen before, with booby traps, and don't have much fighting experience, but that's no reason too panic."

Chrispther placed his feet one step forward–his feet trembled and he nearly fell on the nearest booby trap–regained his focus.

" That was too close!" Christopher thought out loud.

" NO IT'S NOT!" A voice echoed through the path. " THIS IS! MOLTEN FIRECRACKER!"

A small rock was thrown in front. Christopher observed the rock, his pupils dilating, he opened his mouth and fired his long tongue out. Christopher crouched in a ball, as the ball exploded and flames erupted out of it. Christopher saved himself, his tongue fired at a safe tile and pulled him forward.

The smoke of flames ceased away. A mist surrounded the room–Christopher couldn't see anything surrounding him.

" You're pretty slick, even though you're trash," A mocking voice taunted. " Too bad you're gonna be defeated by me!"

A shadow of a man entered the smoke. Christopher braced himself, the man showed his full form. The man had long navy brown hair that shone like silk sheets. Its length ran to mid back and tied back with a lavender ribbon. His skin was milky white. His legs were long and elegant despite him being completely buffed up. He was fashioned in simple black flares; shiny black shoes and a long sleeved white shirt that showed off a small portion of his midriff with a neck hole so large it hung over one shoulder.

" Hey, I've heard of you," Christopher elicited. " You're that assassin Meiko. You've got a bounty of 21 000 belli's and are known as " Hell's Gentleman".

" That's right," Meiko said snidely. " I'm an assassin. And what type of assassin would I be, I didn't kill someone once in a while? MOLTEN FIREFLY!"

Meiko held his hands up. Dozens of small four-winged insects made of fire swarmed towards Christopher. However, the insects never moved too Christopher, smoke erupted and flames surrounded the area–Christopher saved himself; he pulled himself back at the last second.

" MUWAHHHHAAA!" Meiko guffawed. " You may think you're a pirate, but you're only a boy!"

Meiko however also couldn't see past the smoke. All he saw were gray smoke and the skulls with cross bones on the ground. Meiko stepped on one of the purple tiles–he had nothing to fear and was simply testing the equipment out. Javelins on both sides were fired and shattered when coming into contact with Meiko.

" Tongue Prod!" Christopher's voice echoed through the smoke.

Christopher's tongue appeared in front of Meiko. The tip of his tongue jabbed Meiko in the face. Meiko fell back, landed back first on the ground, Christopher jumped in front of him.

" Hehhehehe!" Meiko laughed. " I remember: pretty slick moves. Could it be, you were also an assassin?"

Christopher's body petrified. His mouth was open, his eyes twitched, and his right hand grew limp. Christopher thought the worst of himself–his feeling all in the past–a wicked smile spread across his face.

" That's right, Meiko! I was once known as ' Toad Torpedo'. One jab of my tongue could kill 10 men at once. Sadly, my skills have weakened since being imprisoned." Christopher reached for his right sleeve of his shirt and ripped the cloth off. A tattoo flashed in his arm, red markings, a panther's head with a circle around it. " I could've died in bliss. I once had fatal wounds; this mark was the only thing that revived me."

" The mark of the Shichi," said as he was titillated. " Yes, I know that mark. The very mark of the devil. Said to be a 2nd chance in life. But has a terrible cost. Once that mark is placed on someone: they'll be a permanent slave of them."

" Captain Blight...Captain GoldenFinger...Captain Perkman...I choose Captain Supaiku."

" So, you're acursed? Well, I guess even assassin's can stoop so low. Too bad your idiot captain will be swallowed by the prestige of my over–"

Christopher stopped Meiko's sentence, his tongue wrapped around his neck, pulling him forward, he yelled, " DON'T-YOU-MOCK-CAPTAIN-SUPAIKU!"

" Ah... actually... I was referring to," Meiko tried to say, Christopher got close to him and kicked him squarely in the face.

" Take this!" Christopher rapidly kicked Meiko in the face. " And this!" Christopher's tongue lifted Meiko above ground and slammed him onto a tile behind him–two javelins hit him on the side. "AND ESPECIALLY..." Christopher spinned his tongue around; Meiko spinned around with him " THIS!"

Christopher threw Meiko to the ceiling above. Meiko laughed through his mouth, falling to the ground, hit the ground below. " That..." Meiko laughed. " That was pathetic!"

Christopher got off the ground. A glimpse of his face–solidified chunks of gray rock, small river of lava streaming through his face.

" How do you like me now, Toad Torpedo? I ate the Molt Molt fruit. My entire body is an equator. Am 40% rock. 40% lava. And the final 20% is skin. Now... MOLTEN ERUPTION!"

Meiko slammed both his arms into the ground. The ground below him ripped open, lava seeped out. The lava streamed all over the chamber, javelins launched on different sides, and burned into dust as they touched Meiko's body–entirely made of lava.

" Dammit!" Christopher thought. " My tongue can't touch him. And I can't step anywhere, I'll be burned or jabbed! Oh, I wish I had my friends: Captain Supaiku, that nincompoop Fletcher, shape-shifter Sherry, I'd even go for lazy coin thrower or that unreliable assassin-monk."

" MOLTEN METEOR!"

Meiko held both his hands out. A giant meteor made of rock and lava formed between his arms. Meiko held the meteor over his head, laughing wickedly through his mouth, he laughed, " DIE TOAD!"

Meiko threw the meteor towards Christopher. Christopher lost the will to fight; he closed his eyes and prepared for what would be the inedible–the meteor was inches to his body.

" ENOUGH!"

Christopher's body disappeared in a flash.

Meiko was upset, he has all alone, his attack made no contact.

Meiko's anguish turned to a wicked smile, he had his arms raised up, laughed. " So, you're still alive, Aureola."

###

Dorobou was sleeping in a strange new room.

A murky dark room, rocky walls, a dark blue lake in the centre, and a giant pointy rock in the ceiling above.

Dorobou leaned against a rocky wall, hands behind his head, he murmured in his sleep:

" Cost of sedative is 20 000 bellies. Cost of vitamins are 10 000 bellies. Cost of bandages are 5 000 bellies."

Dorobou wasn't alone in the room.

A man watched him from above. The man had short green hair, average build, blue eyes, peach skin. He wore a plain white t-shirt underneath a black jacket, with a white and red design going down the sides of his arms. He wore white gloves with black skeleton hands designs, green baggy cargo pants, and black shoes.

The man had a rifle on a tip of his gun was pointed directly at Dorobou.

" Lea was right–these pirates are weak."

###

Christopher was in a dark and gloomy room.

The rock was small, black gaps between small width walls of rock, an open gap in centre above, an open gap in centre below, someone leaned against Christopher and rubbed a woolen object against his head.

She had long light blond hair, sharp yellow eyes, and smooth cream-ish skin. She wore a yellow robe, had yellow jeans, and two yellow wrist bands. Two winglike objects sticked out her head, she wore slippers with wings coming out, and giant white wings were tucked in behind her.

" Y'know, I thought you were dead, Aureola," Christopher said.

" As did I," Aureola the mysterious woman said.

" So, what you've been up too, Aureola?"

" Y'know, Aureola retorted, rolling her eyes. " Saved a few lives, fought against many formidable foes, even though–"

" Even though you've killed dozens of people, little miss assassin," Christopher trivialized.

" Y'know, one of us has to make mince meat," Aureola shrugged. " Y'know, even though one of us makes their own foods. Y'know, I still like you."

" And you know how you always uses 'y'know' for everything," Christopher swayed. " You know, I've always liked you too. But you've never opened up to me. Anyways, what are you doing here, Aureola?"

"Y'know, Saving your dumbass, of course," Aureola smugly visage. " Y'know, I've also been hired to kill your captain."

" You mean, Captain Supaiku?"

" No," Aureola said, a smug look still on her face. " Y'know, I'm looking for the pirate captain that can turn himself into a birdman."

" Fletcher?" Christopher laughed. " That nimrod's completely harmless."

" Maybe so," Aureola said. " Y'know, But I was hired to do it. And you know how us assassins work: We do the job, get paid, and don't ask questions." Aureola quickly pecked Christopher's head. Aureola rubbed the spot of Christopher her lips touched. " Y'know I still love you, Christopher, my brother."

###

The man had his gun zoomed in on Christopher's head–he was ready to open fire.

" That's it... nice and easy..." The sniper told himself. " Just stay there and watch as I-Bam!"

A bullet was fired out of the nozzle of the figures gun.

A small bullet zoomed in towards Dorobou, travelling over 700 miles an hour, moving closer to Dorobou's head.

Dorobou lashed his rock to a chain out, and the bullet deflected against its rough surface. Dorobou was safe.

" WHAT?!" The man on the cliff yelled. " I MISSED! I NEVER MISS!"

" Zzzzzzzzzz!" Dorobou snored.

" AHHHHHH!"

Another bullet was fired from the man's gun, deflected by Dorobou's small rock.

The man angrily kept firing rapid bullets from his gun.

Dorobou kept deflecting any incoming bullet. Dorobou swinged his rock connected to a chain, all incoming bullets were deflected, Dorobou was still snoring through his mouth.

" DAMMIT!"

Dorobou made his move. He reached into his pocket and took out a small coin.

Dorobou made precise aim, holding his coin high up, looking at the person in front of him, he threw it.

The coin made precise contact with the mysterious man's gun–ripped it in half.

" You know, I don't like people disturbing me when I'm sleeping, whoever you are," Dorobou babbled in his sleep.

" DAMMIT!" The mysterious man ululated.

###

Aureola was flying high in the sky.

Her wings gave her the ability to fly, flapping in the air, Christopher holding her around her waist.

Aureola wouldn't normally let another man touch her, however, she made an exception for Christopher, her stepbrother.

Christopher was sound asleep, he was also blushing, pressed his nose against Aureola's neck.

" I'm sorry, Aureola," Christopher synthesized in his sleep. " I've become so weak."

" Don't say stuff like that, brother," Aureola snapped. " Y'know, You're still the love of my life; I'll love you no matter what you look like."

" Remember when I could transform into a giant frog?" Christopher said. " I could also fire poisonous spikes from the pores of my body. I spat acid from my mouth. I could also breath beams of geyser's."

" Don't worry, my brother," Aureola assured. "Y'know, I'll retrain you."

" Please, don't," Christopher pleaded. " I must relearn these skills by myself. I can't let Captain Supaiku learn he can't depend on me."

" Y'know, Too much pride was what brought you into this, Christopher," Aureola inquired. " Y'know I won't tamper you of your ideals, Christopher. But Y'know I do wish you'd at least let me teach you one of your basic moves."

" You don't mean..."

" I will teach you, Geyser Beam."

###

The mysterious man was ground levelled with Dorobou.

Dorobou still had his eyes closed, he was standing on both his hind legs, two small coins held in both his hands.

" Could you at least open your eyes!" The mysterious man ululated. " Your making me feel so weak."

" I don't need to see you too kill you," Dorobou said while sleeping. " A true sniper always hits the bullseye."

" GAAH!" The man took two guns out of his pockets. The man aimed his two guns at Dorobou, yelling, " TRUE SNIPER THIS!"

The man fired bullets out of both guns.

Dorobou could see everything that went on–found his way to dodge their homecoming–threw his coins left and right, and they deflected against both coins surfaces.

The man was angry–he fired multiple bullets from both his guns.

Dorobou took out more coins out his pockets, threw them like a ninja would a throwing star, all of the man's bullets were deflected.

" DAMMIT! DAMMIT! DAMMIT!" The man ululated. " I NEVER MISS! NEVER!"

" Boy, you sure are a hard case," Dorobou mumbled in his sleep. " I can tell by the sound of your bullets. You're too predictable."

" Predictable, huh?" The man growled, pulled a swish army knife out of his pocket. " YOU'RE A DEAD MAN!"

The man charged towards Dorobou–his knife's tip was pointing at his intestines.

" Judging by your angry, your speed, and the ferocity in your voice," Dorobou muttered while sleeping. " You're going to strike..." Dorobou yanked his chain, his weapon connected to a rock came out. " NOTHING!"

Dorobou lashed his rock at the figure, and hit him directly in the head.

The figure fell to the ground.

Dorobou opened his eyes.

Dorobou moved up to the figure, grabbed him by his collar, and pulled him up to his face.

" Who hired you, you," Dorobou forcibly asked the man.

" Lea!" The man squealed. " The same guy all us Chi Assassins work for!"

" Who?" Dorobou repeated.

" Lea! Let you know, when he gets here, he won't take my death so lightly. He will kill you, and all-your-frien–"

Dorobou clobbered the assassins lower jaw. The man fainted on contact, hit under his jaw, with Dorobou giving everything he had.

Dorobou let go of the assassin and he fell to the ground.

" Shaddup."


	10. Chapter 10

Fletcher worried about Yokai, as he watched him lie on the ground.

Yokai opened his eyes–Fletcher embraced him with a big hug

" YOUR OKAY!" Fletcher laughed. " MY CREW MATES OKAY!"

Yokai just stared blankly at Fletcher.

Yokai pushed Fletcher off, rubbing his robes of any bits of dust, finding his staff with three gems on the ground and picked them up.

" Let's get out of here, Fletcher," Yokai said.

" Why?" Fletcher asked.

" We're not safe here. Lea, my uncle, he knows where we are."

###

Lea was watching Fletcher and Yokai as they speak

Lea observed them through a thick blue mist inside the hole of a giant well.

Lea wasn't alone.

There were four other assassins next to him.

Two of them were wearing white fencing uniforms, fencing masks, and has long katana's. One hold their's in his left hand, the other one held his in his right hand.

Another one was lean, well built, and fair skinned. He has spiky black hair with bangs framing both sides of his face, he has blue eyes. He was wearing a black ninja pants and black ninja sandals. On his waist he carried a katana. His right arm was wrapped up. He was also wearing a black hooded robe.

Meiko was among the group.

" We can all relish the moment, my league of assassins," Lea chuckled. " Instead of us having to come to Yokai, Yokai will come to us."

" I don't like this, leader," The spiky haired assassin said behind.

" Neither do I," The duo of fencers said in unison.

" There is no reason to fear, my friends." Lea took out a staff much like Yokai's from the left; eight different coloured gems around it. " I have all the power. Heheheheehe! YOKAI WILL PERISH, AND I WILL RAIN SUPREME!"

###

Supaiku was journeying through the underground of the assassin's base.

His location was similar to Dorobou's, rocks everywhere he turned, darkness, and a long tunnel.

" I swear, where the hell am I?" Supaiku said while journeying through the long tunnel. " One minute I was conversing with Dorobou, and now I'm in this rout of an area."

Supaiku kept journeying through the pathway–he came into the light.

He was in a different room–an arena.

There was walls closed in on him, dark soil under his feet, and a different way into the room.

" SUPAIKU!" The loud voice of Sherry laughed.

Supaiku was embraced by Sherry, she sneaked up to him on his right hand side and hugged his right arm.

Supaiku was ticked off.

Supaiku pushed Sherry's head, she fell off, hit the ground hard, However; what would've hurt the hearts of most people–it made Sherry smile flamboyantly.

" You tease!" Sherry laughed. " Push me again!"

" I told you already: I am married," Supaiku retorted.

" Aw, that doesn't mean you can't strike me down," Sherry pouted.

" What about Fletcher?" Supaiku asked, he took the time to look Sherry in her eyes.

" What about him, Supaiku?"

" He likes you," Supaiku inquired. " His feeble child mind cannot know which ways left or right, but he knows in his heart how he likes you."

Sherry was angry, made a stern look on her face, closed her eyes, stood up, denied, " How could I ever fall for that idiot?"

" Well, I don't know, but you'll need to at least think about him, Sherry," Supaiku said. " He doesn't have the keen intellect to choose anything for himself, and instead relies on the assistance of his crew."

" Enough of your blubbering!" Two voices barked in unison.

" Do not turn away from your enemies in the midst of battle, you two," Another voice said.

Supaiku and Sherry turned around–saw the duo of fencers and the spiky haired ninja.

Both of them jumped off the cliff and landed gracefully on the ground, took their swords out and raised them out, both pointing at their marked individual: spiky-Sherry, fencers-Supaiku.

" ON GUARD!" The fencers out cried in unison.

The two never left each other's side, side by side each other, they rushed in and started jabbing their thin katana's towards Supaiku.

Supaiku shot a katana out his right hand, and caught it with his left.

Supaiku blocked the two's incoming attacks using just one sword.

The three engaged in a battle of swords and wits, both swordsmen's katana's sparked with small bits of electricity coming out.

Meanwhile, the man dressed as a ninja and Sherry glared into each other's eyes.

The man took out his katana, and he willfully bit the hilt with his mouth, the blade faced away from him, his teeth were holding it.

" Why are you putting your sword in your mouth?" Sherry asked.

" 'cause, I won't be able to use it in my Devil Fruit form," The man gawped as his teeth held the blade. "

Brown fur with white spots surrounded his body, sharp claws came out of his fingers, sharp fangs in his teeth, a black snot with a black nose, whiskers, and two small ears came out his head.

" You're a cat?!" Sherry gawped.

" I'm a wolverine!" The man shouted, his sword flew in the air, he caught it with his mouth.

" Oh," Sherry said nonchantly. " Why are you a wolverine?"

" I ate the Wolv Wolv fruit. Me, a once elite ninja, shall and will defeat you. Ninja Technique: Aerial Ace!"

The ninja in his humanoid wolverine body did a backflip.

The ninja dashed towards Sherry, midair, sword in his mouth, and claws scratching rampantly in a fury.

Sherry however wasn't going to obey his every whim–she had her own mind and was willing to use it.

" Mew Mew 3rd Gear!" Sherry shouted.

Sherry's whole body morphed into a giant cat.

Sherry charged towards the ninja, her hulking huge cat paws crushing the ground she ran on, moved up to him.

Sherry jumped in the air–the ninja was closing in on her–both their claws climate against the others.

###

Meanwhile, Lea and Moeru were observing Yokai and Fletcher as they were running through the area.

Yokai had his eyes closed, his staff wield ahead of his body, and his right arm touching the side of his head.

" So, my naive nephew really believes he has a chance against me?" Lea chuckled.

" M'lord, let me take care of these pests," Moeru insisted.

" No, my faithful assassin," Lea said, a wicked smile spread across his face. " I'll need you stationed here. One of us needs to protect the core."

" Yes, m'lord. I wish you luck in the destruction of your nephew."

###

Supaiku was on the ground, two fencers swords jabbed right into the side of his blade, grunting through his mouth.

" You can't stop us!" The fencer on the right laughed.

" We're the fiercest warriors in all of East Blue's hemisphere!" The one on the left laughed.

" We're the Thrasher Brothers!" Both laughed together. " We've-never-failed-too-kill!"

" Blah blah blah!" Supaiku hindered. " I don't care who you are." The Thrasher Brothers were pushed back by the sheer force of Supaiku's weapon. " If I can't stop two clowns like you, I might as well give up on being the number 1 swordsman."

" Hehehehehe!" The two fencers laughed together. " You'll never achieve something so great; you can't even stop us!"

Sherry in her giant cat form and the wolverine devil fruit ninja were clashing claws together. Sherry bite his neck, and the wolverine bite Sherry's neck. Both beasts made gurgling noises through their mouths.

" Sherry!" Supaiku shouted, grabbed Sherry around her cat's furry coated chest.

" Supaiku?!" Sherry pondered, she couldn't believe her good fortune. " I knew it! He really does care about me!"

" GET OUTTA THE WAY!"

Supaiku heaved Sherry up, threw her behind his back, she crashed on the ground. " I was wrong. Supaiku just wants to face this ninja."

The ninja swinged his sword in his mouth, and Supaiku cross-guarded with her two swords. The sword came closer and closer to Supaiku's face—as Supaiku was trembling from the strength.

" Pret!" The two fencers yelled in unison.

Sherry barely had time to protect herself, the two fencers thrust their blades towards her, and she tried hard as she could too evade their assault.

###

Fletcher and Yokai were running through a long pathway.

Fletcher was in his bird form, floating above the ground, laughing merrily through his mouth. Yokai had his eyes closed and his hands over his face, still running on both his legs.

" THIS IS SO MUCH FUN!" Fletcher laughed while flying.

" We should be getting closer to his lair," Yokai said, eyes still closed.

Fletcher and Yokai reached the end of their path—Lea appeared out of nowhere. He snidely smiled, his body shaking, and right arm over his face.

" So, you foolishly came to eliminate me, Yokai!" Lea banter, voice high pitched. " I'm afraid I'll have to kill you! Just like I did to your father!"

###

" LEA!" Yokai yelled at his corrupt uncle. " I'll kill you! Lea, I'll kill you!"

Fletcher and Yokai were in a dark tunnel, no air and barely any space, the corrupt assassin Lea gawping at them, wickedly.

Lea was enjoying his nephew's outbursts. He found human suffering too be enjoyable. Lea was laughing under his breath, trying to control his wicked expression, but couldn't control it; he laughed out loud.

" So, you will kill me, Yokai!?" Lea laughed mockingly. " Ha, that's a riot. Last I checked, you had a chance to end me, and yet your futile attempts brought you here."

Yokai was growling. He wanted to run up to his uncle and strangle him with both his arms, however, Fletcher held his right arm out too stop him; proving he had more intelligence than people made him out too be.

" He's tricking you, Yokai," Fletcher said, he was worrying about Yokai, held him behind his arm. " I see it In his heart."

" Ha, you're pretty clever, for a miscreant captain boy!" Lea snidely laughed. " I can't wait to pry my fingers in all your stomachs and ripping your insides out!"

" That seems a little angst for a kids story," Fletcher gawped, stuck his tongue out at the grotesque man.

" Fletcher, don't be breaking the fourth wall," Yokai said, he was calmed by his shock.

" Well, I can see you've sold yourself out, Yokai," Lea retorted nastily. " You and me could've gone far in this world: with all the violence, murder, domination, pillaging, we could've let everyone bow down to us and beg for mercy!"

" That would've never followed my agenda, uncle: I want woman to like me as a monk, fresh air too breath, and a safe environment for my child."

Lea and Yokai both blinked in unison. Fletcher blinked—he did one eye at a time. Yokai and Lea stopped blinking their eyes. Lea's face turned to a wicked smile. Lea went back too blinking blankly. " So, you want to give birth to a child?! Ha! You always were a hard case, dear nephew! But it's time for you and your captain too die!"

###

Christopher was dangling on a rocky ceiling—all part of his training.

Aureola was the one in charge of his training. Two large white furry wings sprouted out her back, she fell all around Christopher.

" How do you feel, Christopher?" Aureola asked, there was a sign of worry in her voice.

" How the fuck do you think I feel, Aureola?!" Christopher grunted, there was signs of fear creeping in his voice. " It's like my tongues gonna fall off!"

" Just stay like that a little while longer, Christopher," Aureola complied; there was worry still in her voice.

" For you, my sweet, I'll wait till the crow's come home. By the way… I know this sounds weird… would you like to join Captain Supaiku's crew? I mean, they may say its Fletcher, but it's Captain Supaiku who's the great fighter."

Aureola wanted to join the crew; she just couldn't. She couldn't meddle outside her personal affairs, even though it was hurting and piercing her heart. " I'm so sorry, Christopher. I-I just… there's just no way can I do that. And Christopher… when I mean I'm sorry…I really am sorry."

" Well, it was a gamble. Anyways, let's get back to our session."

###

Supaiku and the spiky haired ninja clashed their swords together.

Both were pushed back by their force—scrapped their legs against the hard rocks. Supaiku was the first too recover; he swinged his sword. The spiky haired ninja was the second too recover; he swished his sword with his mouth.

" You're pretty good, for a fishmen," The ninja laughed; he was honouring Supaiku's nobility.

" And you're too good to be an assassin," Supaiku smirked, he had his arms crossed.

Both swordsmen sidestepped to the left-Supaiku, and the right-ninja. It was than the two fencers and Sherry jumped in, Sherry's talons slashing against the fencers swords, than jumped to the other end.

" AHHHHH!" Both Supaiku and the ninja yelled, he ran up too each other and raised their swords up high.

The two swordsmen clashed their blades together. Supaiku was the first to strike; the ninja guarded and pushed his blade back. The ninja returned jabbing his sword too Supaiku—his mouth's quick reflexes; Supaiku swished his backhand and blocked the retaliation.

Meanwhile, Sherry skidded right, than she skidded left. However; the fencers were pursuing her.

" PARRY!" The fencers unison, both swished their blades too block Sherry's claws. " RIPOSTE!" Both fencers swords jabbed towards Sherry, she backed away before they touched her. " AND…THRUST!" Both the swordsmen's blades crossed each other. Sherry was hit by their tips in her chest. " TOUCHE!"

" ROWWWRRRRR!" Sherry cried, the blades sent chills throughout her body.

###

" AHHHH!" Yokai yelled, he and Fletcher were charging towards Yokai's father, as Fletcher was in his bird form.

Lea kept laughing under his breath. Lea raised his staff with eight stones on the top. The stones all glowed with multicolours.

" Ancient Art of the Elementals: Tsuchi!"

" Uh!" Yokai gasped; he and Fletcher were running towards his dangers. " Fletcher, get out of the way!"

Yokai pushed Fletcher too the ground. Yokai's fears were confirmed: A tide of rubble raised up and headed straight for Yokai and Fletcher. Yokai grabbed Fletcher and jumped over the bump.

" Wow!" Fletcher awed; he and Yokai barely escaped the bump. " You're so awesome, Yokai!"

Yokai landed back on the ground. Yokai put Fletcher's body back on the ground, than he raised his own staff up high, as it glowed brightly yellow. Ancient Art of the Elementals: Koori!"

Multiple ice shards were fired out Yokai's staff. The shards headed straight for Lea, however, his staff glowed with bright darkness.

"Ancient Art of the Elementals: Yami!"

Dark light came out Yokai's staff. The darkness covered the shards and exploded into even smaller pieces. Yokai was startled; he put both his arms back and his skin sweated cold drops of sweat. Fletcher just stared half-wittedly at Yokai's uncle.

" WOW!" Fletcher awed, both Yokai and Lea stared confusedly at him. " That's so cool!" Fletcher turned overexcitedly at Yokai. " Yokai-san, do something like that!"

Yokai blinked with both his eyes. Yokai than smiled; he was finding Fletcher's questions too be humorous. " I am terribly sorry, Fletcher-captain. I only have three stones: The ice shard, fire shard, and thunder shard. While it appears my uncle has eight shards: fire, ice, thunder, water, earth, darkness, wind, and wood. "

" That's right, dear nephew!" Lea staffed, he raised his staff up; it was glowing brightly. " And I've only just begun to use'em! Ancient Art of the Elementals: Yami-Hi!"

Small fireballs came out of Lea's body and swarmed around him. The colour of the flames than turned black. The fireballs were fired, one at a time, faster than a speeding bullet, they came towards Yokai and Fletcher, and they rammed right into their bodies.

" AGHHHHH!" Yokai and Fletcher synched together, their screams echoed through the tunnel.

" WAHAHAHAH!" Lea laughed wickedly. " It appears you're no match for me, dear nephew! Now, why don't you just do me a favor, and die!"

###

Supaiku and the wolverine-ninja clashed their swords together. Both were grunting, pushing their swords against each other's; both were evenly matched.

Meanwhile, Sherry's cat body was choking from two swords stabbed right into her chest. Both fencers were laughing through their facemasks.

" You lose!" One of the fencers laughed.

" No one could ever stop us!" The other one laughed.

However; they didn't know what Sherry was feeling: Her sturdy body, the blood rushing through her veins and arteries, her eyes were growing red, she was changing. Her two front teeth grew bigger and sharper, the hair on her body stood up, and long sharp talons stuck out her paws.

Both of the fencers were startled; there was a dark aura surrounding Sherry's body.

" ROWR…" Sherry grunted, her voice becoming deeper. " ROWWRRRRRR!"

Supaiku—the wolverine Zoan type ninja—and the two fencers—all cringle too the site of Sherry's new body. Her hair stood up, teeth grew twice as large and equally sharp, eyes illuminated red in the darkness. Sharp claws came out her paws two tails sticked out its hindquarters, and noise gurgled out:

" ROWWWWWWRRRR!"

" AHHHH!" Both fencers unison together.

" ROWWWWWRRRR!"

Sherry swiped her left paw at the two fencers. Both were pushed back, fell on the ground, blood gushed out their necks.

Supaiku and the wolverine-ninja both gasped in synch.

Sherry's feline head turned too Supaiku and the ninja. She jumped up, landed straight down, was behind the wolverine-ninja.

" SHERRY!" Supaiku shouted, raised his left hand out in response.

" ROWWWWWWWRRR!"

Sherry scratched the ninja's right arm. The bones were torn off, and his arm fell to the ground. Small drops of blood dripped out the ninja's arm. Sherry was taking control of the situation and was about to strike the ninja a second time, however, Supaiku showed up in front of Sherry's beastily body and stopped her assault with his sword.

" What are you…" The ninja attempted to speak in his beast body ( really slow reaction), but Supaiku held his right arm out to stop him from completing his sentence.

" You're a swordsman, right? If there's one thing life has taught me: I want to fight worthy opponents. And you my friend are the worthiest warrior I've encountered so far."

Even though his body was part wolverine, the creature's cheeks blushed red, they filled up his cheeks. " Y-you think… I'm a worth swordsman?"

" Of course! I'd suggest you leave though. There's no point in fighting an injured man. Until we meet again…I'll be counting the hours down."

Supaiku hadn't realized it, but he had warmed the heart of the ninja. The ninja wasn't use to being complimented. Yet, he couldn't help but feel as though his heart warmed up when he was around Supaiku.

The ninja stuck his thumb up, smiled at Supaiku, said, " Yeah. Until we meet again, my new rival."

The doors to the arena behind Sherry and Supaiku cranked open. The ninja-wolverine burrowed himself inside of it and made his escape.

Supaiku and Sherry at the time were quarreling, both resorting to using violence, Supaiku raised his sword out and Sherry was stopped from getting any closer to him.

"Sorry I have to do this to you, Sherry," Supaiku said. " SPIKE DRILL!"

Dozens of sword tips submerged from Supaiku's right arm. His blade jabbed Sherry behind her back; unleashing millions of tiny blades. The wound wasn't fatal; Sherry was strong, however, Sherry wasn't taken the attack lightly. The redness in her eyes faded. Sherry collapsed on the ground—her body morphed back into a half human-half cat.

" Sweet dreams, naive girl." Supaiku walked away from the unconscious Sherry, and made his way to the two unconscious fencers. Supaiku removed the faceguards of both fencers. Supaiku got their images: two Latino brothers ; one brown haired and the other blond. Supaiku reached his wet hand out and checked the nearest one's pulse…. " Oh, no! Sherry has killed'em both!"

###

Dorobou was walking half-awake through the dark tunnel.

Dorobou was looking for a way out. His eyes were weary; he just woken up from a nap ( You probably been there), and yawned through his mouth.

" I was hoping to get a little more Z's," Dorobou groaned. " Man, where am I? And where's the ship? All I want to do is…Zzzzzzzz…"

Dorobou collapsed on the ground. He put both his hands behind his head, eyes were shut, and snoring news came out his mouth. However; he wasn't alone, and his nap would be disrupted. Aureola came out of nowhere; she was hiding in the shadows and came up to Dorobou and tapped him on his right shoulder.

" Follow me…" Aureola said in a soft tone.

" Achhhhhh…. Let me sleep…" Dorobou lazily retorted, he wasn't paying attention to his surrounding area. Aureola was quick with her reflexes and smacked Dorobou's head. Dorobou instantly woke up and cried through his mouth, "Holy Hell!"

" Follow me, Dorobou," Aureola repeated herself, not taken a moment's hesitation, and walked away from Dorobou.

" Get back her, you bitch!" Doroboru yammered, chasing after Aureola. " This better be worth my nap!"

###

Fletcher and Yokai were both brutally injured. Black smudge were on their skins, their faces smothered in dirt, and small bruises on their arms and face.

Lea however was cleansed throughout his body: His skin was smooth, not a scratch on his whole body, and laughed out loud:

" So, you haven't learned to combine elements together, Yokai?! That's just so sad! I was hoping for you too at least put an effort in stopping me! But you've succumb too following a petty pirate, who can't even help himself!"

Yokai and Fletcher were both slightly numbed by Lea's assault. Yokai had difficulty moving his fingertips; they were covered in blackness. Fletcher also couldn't move his body; his wings were slightly bruised, and a rock fell down and crushed his right leg.

" Uncle… you monster!" Yokai cursed under his breath, lifting his head up, he yelled, " YOU TRAITOR!..."

Flashback:

Young Yokai was running away from a massive monster. A bulky creature; an ogre, sturdy engorged body, crimson red rough skin, raggy beige shorts, bright red eyes, sharp horn sticking from its head, and sharp teeth in its mouth.

" COME TOO ME, LITTLE BOY!" The loud voice of the ogre echoed through the area. " COME AND JOIN YOUR FRIENDS….IN MY STOMACH!"

" Screw you, big boy!" Yokai retorted, spinned his body around and raised his staff with three colored jewels on it. " Ancient Art of the Elementals: HI!"

A flamethrower of fire was unleashed from Yokai's staff and rammed right into the ogre's torso. Its whole physique boiled, fire seeped out the pores of its body, his whole mouth engulfed with fire.

The ogre became nothing but bones—they fell to the ground, and collapsed in a cloud of dust. Yokai walked up to the remains of the ogre, nothing but it's sharp horn, so he picked it up and put it in a pouch around his body.

" Well done, my son!" Yokai's father encouraged behind, making his way up, and grasped his son's shoulders. " You've really improved since we've blessed you one of Hera's stones."

" Hera?" The skeptical voice of Yokai's uncle Lea asked behind. " Please, like Hera would ever bestow three shards to one person at one time. You know as well as I do, brother… the shards accumulate objects based on the numbers you have."

" I do understand, brother. But Hera has spoken to me in my dreams, and has allowed an exception."

Yokai was embarrassed. The pupils in his eyes dilated; there were small droplets of tears clogging up his eyes. " D-did Hera…is she really looking out for me, father?"

Yokai's father leaned down and rubbed his son's hair. Yokai's father was happy with glee; Yokai could sense something so obvious, his cheeks were puffed up and swollen pink, eyes closed, and it was making Yokai's cheeks blush. " Of course she has, my precious son. Hera will always look out for you—but it's you that needs to protect yourself."

" Pffffffft! Talk about corny, brother…"

" Yes! I'll do everything I can, daddy. And one day I'll make you proud—no matter what happens to us—no matter where we go."

Flashback End: (For now, there will be more details later)

Yokai's rage got the better of him. He saw his cynical uncle—how he mocked his family—all the controversy he's lead him through. Yokai squeezed his right arm, gritting his teeth, yelled, " I WILL KILL YOU, UNCLE! I WILL AVENGE MY FATHER!"

###

Dorobou followed Aureola all throughout the dark corridors. Turns at every end-a whole new pathway. Dorbou was ticked off at Aureola; he was mainly feeling frustrations of not sleeping. Dorobou however did have his eyes half closed, hands behind his head, and moved his legs freely.

" K, we've been watching for nearly 15 minutes. Mind the hell telling me where we are going?"

Aureola instantly stopped moving her legs. She reached down too her waist, and attempted to slash at Dorobou with a knife. However, Dorobou was quick with his legs and backed away before the knife touched his skin.

" What's the big deal, wench?!" Dorobou yammered, his eyes were still closed.

" You are an associate of Fletcher G. Perkman! You must die!"

###

Meiko watched Yokai's and his uncle's conflict with zeal enjoyment: Yokai was limping up too his uncle, his right leg badly injured, and he resorted to using his staff for support. Meanwhile, Lea just laughed diabolically through his mouth.

" Soon… my lord will dispose of his worthless nephew…all will be going according to plan! All hail Great Le—"

" I wouldn't be too happy if I were you, hothead!" Christopher's insidious voice preached in the Control Room. " Tongue Prod!"

A long-sharp object came out of nowhere and stabbed Meiko behind his back. Meiko fell down, however, wasn't slow to recover, as he used the force of his legs too push him back up. " What the hell was that?!"

Meiko spinned his body; Christopher was right in front of him. Meiko sensed a strong aura radiating around Christopher, through his training; Meiko didn't know about; he wasn't the same Christopher he fought before.

" Take a good look, hothead!" Christopher smoothly chuckled. " You're about to get your ass handed to you!"


	11. Chapter 11

Yokai ached himself closer to his dastard Uncle Lea, Moaning noises were heard through Yokai's mouth. Laughing noises were heard out Lea's mouth.

" I will kill you, Lea, you evil man!" Yokai grunted, a grimaced tone. " You can't outrun your sins!"

Yokai limped up to his uncle, however, he collapsed on the spot; a wicked broad smile spread across his face. " You always were a fool, Yokai! And your intelligence was blitzed. Did you honestly believe you could stop me? Ha! You're naive and reckless–your exactly like your father!"

Lea picked Yokai's unconscious body off the ground. Lea had no intentions of killing him; he merely wanted too torture the poor young monk. Lea made haste to carry him into the Control Room...

"STOP!" Fletcher yelled behind Lea. " I won't let you have my crewmate!"

Lea stood on the spot; his legs were frozen. A blood curdling wheezing noise was wheezed out Fletcher's mouth–Lea felt its deftness against the hair's behind his neck. " You want to save Yokai, eh? Well, I 'm sorry too disappoint you. Yokai is my property–there's no way he can change–he'll always be a cold-blooded murderer. And yet you insist on keeping him?"

" GIVE HIM BACK!"

" I'm sorry to disappoint you, you. But Yokai can never go too the hands of someone so weak." Lea turned around and showed off a wicked smile through his teeth. " He belongs to someone almighty. Someone like me. So, I hope you said everything you needed, as this is good-bye!"

Lea ran forward and his body disappeared Fletcher's sorrow was left to tear up over Yokai's passing.

" No...No! NO! Supaiku, please, help me!"

###

Sherry had awoken from a long rest.

Sherry was being carried through what looked like catacombs of the tunnel–she noticed Supaiku was the one carrying her. Sherry was infatuated by Supaiku's valor, his strength too endure, and the feeling of his fish gills/scales press up against her.

" My, is this a dream, Supaiku?" Sherry laughed flamboyantly, the tightness of her hands strengthened against Supaiku's scales. " If it is: please hit me in the face as hard as you can."

" Shut up!" Supaiku come backed, there was a sound in his voice. " I didn't want to carry your disgusting body. But you were acting all crazy; you took the arm off this noble swordsman and killed those two gay fencers. You should be ashamed of yourself."

" Aw, Supaiku, you say the sweetest things!" Sherry laughed, the tightness of her hug tightened, yet Supaiku could still carry her without hesitation.

" You disgust me, woman. Now you just keep quiet as I walk blindly through these tunnels. I sense...feel...the presence of our dumbass captain."

###

Meiko was surprised by the unnecessary appearance of Christopher. His rage would lash out at him–he felt content to await for his right opportunity. So, Meiko just smiled snidely at Christopher, his arms were crossed, and the deftness of his hands heated up.

" So, you're still alive, eh? No matter. Your attacks are useless against me and I'll be sure to burn you into a crisp!"

" So, you're the reckless one?" Christopher smirked, stuck his tongue out and rubbed his lips with it. " Well, I am not the same assassin you meet before. Sadly, my originality hasn't recovered as well. But no matter. It'll only take a fraction too eliminate you."

A flare of flames burned out Meiko's palms. A small fireball formed in the center of his palms. A wicked smile spread across Meiko's face. " You're one too talk, Toad-boy! Now, take the flare of my–"

" Tongue Prod!"

Christopher opened his mouth and a long tongue shot out. The tongue lashed at Meiko, faster than his eyes could track, and was smacked in his head–the pain actually felt real. Meiko fell down and crashed on the ground.

" Wh-what the..." Meiko groaned, both his arms spread out, asa the flames in his palms started diminishing.

" How's that for a Toad-boy, you petty assassin?!" Christopher laughed, his voice echoing through the Control Room. " You better get up! I'm just getting started!"

###

Dorobou evaded for his life. Dorobou was being slashed at by Christopher's maiden-sister. One slash nearly connected into Dorobou's chest, but he swinged his chain with a rock in it too retaliate Aureola. Aureola's knife and Dorobou's knife both bounced off each other.

Aureola glared into Dorobou's eyes; Dorobou felt a cold wind chilling the hairs behind his neck. But Dorobou looked at her nonetheless. " It's you ain't it, Dorobou? You're the one who's taken Christopher from me!"

Aureola reached behind her back–she pulled a quiver of arrows out. A hole of white light appeared on her righthand side, Aureola reached in, and pulled a bow made of pure yellow light out. Dorobou found the bow to be illustrious.

" Wow, that's such a cool bow!" Dorobou awed. " I want it!"

Aureola was only half listening to Dorobou; she wasn't taken a moment to readjust her bow, as Dorobou's words were assayed through her mind. Aureola took a glowing bow out her quiver, pulled shining string back, and inserted the arrow.

" You want it, eh? Tell you what: you can stop me and I'll give you something like this bow. But only when you defeat me. And I ain't letting something like that happen! Celestial Pierce!"

Aureola fired the one glowing arrow out of her bow. However, the arrow quickly multiplied into 5 separate arrows and soared towards Dorobou–as he held both his hands out to defend. His only response: " AHHHHH!"

###

" Molten Firefly!"

Meiko held his hands up. Dozens of small four-winged insects made of fire swarmed towards Christopher. Christopher jumped over the firefly's and landed on the ground.

" Really, is that the best you can do?" Christopher snickered, a broad smile on his face, it agitated Meiko he shouted, " Why you! Molten Eruption"

Meiko slammed both his arms into the ground. The ground below him ripped open; lava seeped out. Christopher stuck his tongue out. A geyser of water was breathed from his mouth, overcame the fire; it pierced/passed through it undamaged, and made direct contact onto Meiko's torso, as it pushed his body back.

" How'd you like that, Molt-boy!" Christopher taunted; sticked his middle index finger too Meiko. " It's 'cause Aureola's been standing by me!"

" Aureola?" Meiko asked. Meiko's anguish then turned into glee. " You are really trusting Aureola with your life? How stupid are you?! Aureola's the most cold blooded assassin. She never sleeps, never eats, and never stops killing; she doesn't care who the victim is! Mark my words: there will come a day she'll try to kill you!"

The joy on Christopher faded–he didn't like what Meiko talked about. Christopher flashed his right arm too the arrogant Meiko. " Don't you talk too Aureola like that, you bastard! She may not be perfect, you and I both know, but she's twice the man you are! And since she's really a woman... y'know,, tight... that leaves makes you dirt!"

" Nice comeback, ero-boy."

" Hydro Cannon!"

A wound opened out of Christopher's right arm, murky and damp liquids dripping out, a small ball of water was fired. The ball moved fast as a bullet, rushed towards Meiko, and hit him in his face.

" AAAGGHHHH!" Meiko cried, the pain was too intense for him. " My BEAUTIFUL face!" Meiko lifted his hand down and dark bits of rubble sparkled in the night. " You bastard! My beauty... you took away my beauty!"

" Serves you right, bitch!" Christopher retorted, raised his arm up again. " Y'know, a frogs body is covered in mucus. And mucus is a slimy substance whereas it can be treated as water: It's wet, damp, and slippery."

" What are you going on about, Toad-boy?"

" It's all thanks to Aureola's training; I was able to unlock the mucus filled body. She also taught me Hydro. See, I'm unlike you and your other assassins, I have friends that'll fight by my side. Now, say goodnight! Hydro Cannon!"

A small ball of water was fired out the wound in Christopher's palms. Meiko at the time was fretting, scared, in front of the LED blue globe. " Dammit! I can feel the life energy surge out of me. Damn Devil Fruit! Well, I ain't going down by a fag like him. I'm gonna live!"

Meiko turned around and jumped into the giant blue LED globe behind him. His whole body submerged into it and Christopher's water rushed past it.

Most people would be upset, however, Christopher just smirked through his mouth." So, you've managed to escape my fury? No matter. There will be a time we'll fight again."

###

Lea could sense how Christopher was in his Control Room and had defeated Meiko–he played it smart and kept walking down the long tunnel.

Yokai was unconscious, unwillingly pulled, dragged to a wall, and pressed him up against the wall. Lea took his black shard out of his staff and pressed it against Yokai's head.

" Okay, Mr. Bigshot. This here will seep into your mind and show me your deep-dark secrets. Soon, you'll be my mindless puppet. And when I'm finished with you... you die!

Yokai's Past

Yokai was barely a teenager.

Yokai was old enough to drink bottles of alcohol and sake, he could be hanged if he committed any crimes, and no one looked back on him cursing; as if he'd ever commit such a putrid act.

Most kids Yokai's age would go out drinking with their friends, look for loose women, laugh at their freedom, or just sleep whenever they felt necessary. However, Yokai's life as a young monk was confined to his shrine–his home and its relics.

Yokai was meditating in a room filled with antiques: priceless white tiger statues, emerald crow's, jewel turtles, and pendents of pure gold.

Yokai's father entered the shrine/sanctuary. Yokai's father patted his sons right elbow, and

Yokai awakened from his slumber.

" Wake up, my child," Yokai's father said, he smiled to his son, but Yokai just stared up at him. " It's Friday. And do you know what we do on Friday's."

" Yes, dear father," Yokai answered, a small smile spread across his mouth. " We go to the brothel."

###

An array of beautiful woman wearing kimono's, waving fans around their faces, wearing makeup, and winking to any passing customers.

Yokai and his father sat on a blue mat. A brown haired woman wearing a blue kimono leaned down and poured tea into cups infront of Yokai and his father. The woman stopped pouring the tea; Yokai's father wasn't slow to grab the woman's hands and gleam up at her.

" Would you be willing to bear my next child. I'm afraid my son Yokai's gotten too old, and doesn't want to spend any time with me... buwahahaha!"

Small tears dripped out Yokai's father. The old man instantly turned his body the other way, and he cried where kneeled.

" Father!" Yokai broke out. Yokai than kneeled down and rubbed his father behind his back. " Please, dear-sweet father, don't cry. I'm here for you, father."

" No... your not..."

" Huh?"

Yokai's father turned around, expressing his sorrow, he reached his right hand out and rubbed Yokai on his head. " I am afraid you've gotten too old. The councilmen have depicted whether or not you'll become a monk like them."

Yokai stopped rubbing his father's back, and he instantly smacked his forehead. " You, you stupid father! Why am I hearing this now!?"

Yokai's father rubbed his head. Yokai glared in his father's direction. Suddenly, chuckling noises were heard from Yokai's father.

" You are strong. You're just as gallant as your mother. Your aptitudes what gives me satisfaction; I know I've raised a noble son."

###

Young Yokai was moping in his room. Yokai tried assessing his forthcoming responsibilities as a monk councilmen.

" You stupid father," Yokai sighed, his voice hinted a little dolor. " I'll become a monk; I know I'll make you happy. But I'm my own monk. I'll abet whoever I want."

" I told you: Hera's powers can no longer sustain your indulgence!" The voice of Yokai's father yelled in another room. " If you keep this up: you'll die!"

" Dad...?"

###

Meanwhile, Yokai's father and Yokai's uncle Lea were quarrelling amongst each other.

The two brother-monks were walking up a long slope. They moved up a hillside meadow, the breeze of the wind blowing the grass too one side, and an angry dispute occurring:

" If I told you once brother; I'll repeat myself a hundred more times!" Yokai's father disputed. "You cannot bath your shards in that temple!"

" Oh, and why can't I, dear brother?" Lea bumptiously replied.

" You may not see it; I can; that temple's shrouded in dark magic! You're losing your mind, and you don't even know it!"

" Oh, losing my mind, dear brother? I find that quite askew. Truth of the matter: my minds never felt so intact!"

Meanwhile, Yokai was stealth as the shadows, as he back-tailed his father and uncle. The three came to a temple. This temple was made of the rarest rubble; the one's that glowed dark crimson. Stones were piled on top of each other–making their own door, two knight statues holding swords on both ends, and a crescent moon illuminated in the dark blue sky. Lea walked in front of the temple. Lea morbidly smiled, and he was in the front in an instant.

" So, it begins again, dear brother..." Lea raised his staff of seven shards up: yellow, red, blue, gray , green, white, brown. The light of the crescent moon illuminated brightly–it was expected from Lea. The light shined down and touched the shards of Lea's staff; the shards glowed brightly.

" Lea, stop what you are doing!" Yokai's father beseeched. " Let go! What you are doing stands against all we've been taught, and you know it."

" I-I..." Lea tried to say, stopped to hesitate, his broad smile growing wider-viler. " It's too late now, brother! It's mine now!"

A small black object cascaded down a ray of white light and inserted itself in the tip of Lea's staff. Lea's ecstasy of his power soothed his mind, however, his power came with a price; the

object intensified eerie black light.

" Lea, get out of the way!"

Yokai's father ran up to Lea and pushed him out of the way–he made Lea drop his staff. Lea was saved from his calamity. Yokai's father was doomed to death. The black eerie light touched Yokai's father, sucked him in, and entrapped inside.

At the time, sweat dripped down Yokai's face, as he watched his father perish before his eyes. Lea however had the same broad depraved smile on his face.

" You always were a fool, brother!" Lea heckled to his staff of shards. " You brought this on yourself, brother! And you shall remain ensnared inside this shard: the shard of darkness, Yam–who's there!"

Lea scouted the area for any nearby civilian. He was going to kill anyone nearby, quickly, and without remorse.

Yokai knew he was in trouble, however, showed himself; he waited a few minutes and backtracked himself–he pretended to be walking up the meadow to the noise.

" Uncle, are you alright!" Yokai asked, he feigned his worry. " I heard a loud noise, and I got scared... where's dad!?"

Yokai knew the answer, but wanted to hear the lies his uncle spieled.

Lea crouched too Yokai's eye level, rubbed his right finger across his cheeks, and ushered his lie, " Your father went away. Which means: I'll be taking care of you in his place. So, you better give me the respect I righteously deserve. And it means you will join me... we form a band of assassins!"

Present

Meanwhile, Dorobou was nearly clouted by a barrage of glowing arrows, but threw coins to divert the arrows and relocate them aside–they all missed.

Aureola took three more arrows out her quiver and pulled them back near her bow.

" Y'know, you are one craaaazzzy girl," Dorobou said, his voice unfazed by the arrows. " Tell me: how'd you ever come across Christopher?"

Aureola's arrows and bow disappeared in a flash of light. Aureola crossed her arms and had a deceptive look on her face.

" You want to know about Christopher and I?" Aureola asked, a hint of skepticism in her voice. " Christopher and I..."

Flashback:

Young Christopher didn't have a choice.

Christopher was in servitude to his father.

" Listen to what I say, you little shit," Christopher's father mouthed, he then passed a strange looking fruit too his son. " Eat that! You eat that; you and me are going to work as assassins!"

Christopher's Past

A man was running through a crowd of people. The man used the people roaming the city as cover; he was wanted, and needed to get far away from the city as possible.

" I gotta RUN!" The man screamed, sound of trepidation in his voice.

The man's suspicions were acclaimed: a small shadowy figure leaped up above. The man ran with more effort, the pain perked up; his lungs over voluminously drenched, yet still couldn't outrun his catastrophe; a sticky object wrapped around his neck and yanked him away.

The man wasn't far away from people, however, he was out of sight; elevated high into the air. What appeared to be an elongated large human tongue coiled around the man's neck. Choking sounds were gasped out the man's mouth.

" Do you see it, you?" A scintillating voice asked somewhere hidden. "What you are seeing is death. One of the crudest things people like me has to work with. It comes to me as displeasure; I am actually going to miss you. Farewell and good luck wherever you go."

One last antsy noise gasped out the man's mouth–a snapping motion was heard. The tongue uncoiled around the man's neck and his lifeless body plummeted to the crowd of spectators.

Another object fell from high above, however, this one was alive and was fazed by his drop to the ground. He has brown hair that goes down to his shoulders and covers his left eye, the other show him having blue eyes. He stands at 6 and half feet, a big scar that went from neck to upper thigh, across his torso. He was wearing a tattered grey hoodie with a few holes in it, as well as wears black jeans and sandals; on his back was a very large ivory white labrys which people would presume to be bone.

" Toad Prince!" A loud voice vociferate somewhere inside the figures pockets. " Toad Prince, do you read me!?"

Toad Prince ( AKA Christopher) took a small snail out; it was his father ringing/talking, as Toad Prince put it in front of his face. " This is Toad Prince; I read you well and clear."

" Good!" The voice yelled, sound of anger on the other end. " Where the hell are you, you stupid son-assassin of mine!? Do you have any idea what day it is?!"

" How could I possibly forget, father?" Toad Prince said to the small snail, his voice overly depressed. "Today's the day you remarry."

" And too a family of high elite assassins! Do you have any idea how much this means to me!?"

Toad Prince stuck his tongue out to the Den Den Mushi (snail); he was glad his father couldn't see him on the other end. Toad Prince's tongue restrained back into his mouth. " I'm on my way back home, father."

###

Toad Prince lied cross-legged on a red pillow cushion. The sound of trumpets thundering was heard in the other room.

The room itself was exquisite; Toad Prince found out by himself. He was ready–nothing that happens could tamper his mood. Not the multivarious flowers around him, the portraits of strange women above, the damp room, or even living in the deluxe house.

A poking sensation touched Christopher. Christopher rotated his head to the direction where he'd been touched.

A girl was kneeling besides him. A girl with short blue bobcut hair in twin-tail with blue ribbons. Grey eyes. Her skin was smooth and almost creamish. She wore a short cape with yellow ribbons, pale red dress that reached her knee, and blue sneakers

" So, you're my new brother?" The woman said, her right eyebrow was raised up, and there was frolic in her voice.

" Ah, yeah," Christopher replied, there was aggravation choked up in his voice. " So, you're my new sister, eh?"

The girl's sad face alternated–she broadly smiled. " Yep. My name is Dawn. What's yours?"

Toad Prince's cheeks burned red. He turned his head to the right to avoid staring at her. " Christopher. Christopher Darts."

" Christopher? I've never head of a boy named Christopher."

" Well, I've never heard of a girl named Dawn. Still, it's a pretty name. All the boy's must be swanning you for it?"

Dawn's cheeks now blushed red. She timidly rubbed her left arm. " ... You're the only one who's told me–"

" Dawn!" A more robust voice hollered. " What are you doing here; you know we're not supposed to be here during this-hello?"

A girl appeared in front of Christopher in an instant. She had long light blond hair, sharp yellow eyes, and smooth cream-ish skin. She wore a yellow robe; a thing gap showed her cleavage, had yellow jeans, and two yellow wrist bands. Two winglike objects sticked out her head, she wore slippers with wings coming out, and giant white wings were tucked in behind her.

" Say, what are you doing?" Christopher murmured, there was slight fear in his voice.

" You... you're so... CUTE!" The girl screeched joyfully to Christopher, wrapped her arms behind his head, and pulled his face into her cleavage. Choking noises were gasped from Christopher's mouth. " YOU are so ADORABLE!"

" (gibberish) Jued, sudde ddkdkdkd ( help, you're suffocating me)!" Christopher said, his voice was stuck while his face was stuck in the girl's cleavage.

" Aureola, that is no way to act!" Dawn retorted; she'd already snatched Christopher away and stuck his head between her, er, cleavage.

The breasts of Dawn weren't big enough or close together to lull Christopher from spieling. Christopher inhaled as much air as he could–who knew how much longer until he would dive his head again?

" Ah...ah... thanks for the assist, Dawn," Christopher thanked, winked at Dawn. " You really saved me."

Dawn however was flustering. She wanted to stifle Christopher between her breasts–the fundamentals pointed diversely. " Oh, why can't I be more like big sister?"

" Make WAY!" A loud voice uproar. " Make way for the newly wedded couples –Kurt and Rosa!"

The sound of doors opening was heard throughout the room. Christopher, Dawn, and Aureola turned to the direction of the doorway. A grown up man and woman walked out. The man has medium blond hair with green eyes. He was wearing a red tabard decorated with an orange-colored hem and a white full-body training suit underneath. His shoes are periwinkle Chinese style flats. The woman had soft skin, tied her purple hair back into 5 top knots and wore a white shirt with a mesh shirt worn over it, alongside dress pants, black combat boats, and purple eyes.

" Wow, my father's never looked so dashingly handsome!" Christopher thought in his mind.

" Mom seems so... happy?" Dawn pondered to herself.

" I swear: if there's a next marriage... it'll be me and this old man's offspring." Aureola awed in thought.

###

A gang of drug lords were shipping illegal trades across the seas–they needed their boat in order to do it. All the workers were the same: grey jackets, dark blue jeans, white sneakers, wearing the same green woollen caps; the only thing different were their skins and eyes.

One person stood out from the latter. He was tall and lean and lanky-looking with light brown hair shaped like an oval on top of his head. He wore a snappy emerald uniform with white shoes and a rubber bang ring on his right hand.

" C'mon, get those crates of cocaine in that yacht!" The well-fashioned man barked; all the workers shaked to his bite. " If I you can't get it there in time... WE are DEAD! WE ARE ALL DEAD!"

The workers worked more frantically: their arms were shaking, each one put more crates in the yacht–they nearly dropped them along the way, as even their teeth were shaking.

Meanwhile, the well-fashioned man took out a cigarette. He took out a match, scraped it against his suit–flames alit from the match, as he held the match underneath the tip of his cigarette.

" Don't move," A cold voice whispered behind the man, the tip of a blade poked into his back. " You move: I'll kill you. Now, where do you stash the cocaine?"

The man wasn't frightened. In his pocket was a transceiver. The man simply had to press the button and his posse of guards would show up too assist him–a steel star came out of nowhere and cut right into his device. The device was destroyed, as it was pinned on the ground; the star still pierced through it.

" My husband told you not to move, didn't he?" A more ireful voice was heard, it was meant for the lord.

" We are assassins," The males voice whispered. " We are here to kill you, however, we'll be willing to make an exception. You tell us where you're keeping your stash: we won't kill you."

###

The man took the couple of assassins to his yachts hull.

The man couldn't see the perpetrators faces, however, he wouldn't even recognize them. One was a female, her outfit consisted of a black skin-tight jump suit with a kanji symbol written on her right shoulder and pink armor plates made of harden animal skin. The woman has a pink sash around her waist for decoration. The male had chainmail armor, three ropes being used as belt, a toad face on his right shoulderpad, a mask that covers his entire head, with a small slit for the eyes.

" So, you've kept a stash this shrouded in a place like this?" The female assassin pestered behind.

" Not very secrete, my dear," The male assassin told.

" I agree, husband."

At the time, as the two assassins were examining the crates of cocaine, the drug lord walked behind them, and walked up to a golden cat statue. He tapped the statue's face up. A display of colourful red buttons was displayed. The lord moved his right hand as fast as he could to sound the alarm: 633958114

" INTRUDER ALERT!" A loud voice rumbled inside the ship's hull" INTRUDER ALERT!"

The man soon tried to flee away from the statue, however, the female assassin grasped his elbows and stopped him from escaping. The male walked up to the man and flashed a knife blade to the man.

" I told you we would let you live if you cooperated with us."

" Please, have mercy on my, honourable assassin!" The man pleaded, tears dripped down his eyes.

" Mercy? There's no mercy; we are simply following orders. Now, good luck... in the neitherworld!"

The male assassin stabbed his blade into the man. Sound of GASP was cried out the man's mouth. The man in the suit fell down, landed his knees on the ground, as the man was lifeless.

" This is very titillating, honey," The female assassin commented, held the man around his waist.

" Yes. Almost makes me wanna..."

The female assassin dropped the man on the ground. The male and female embraced, hands around each other's waists, they passionately kissed each other's lips. The two assassins' faces burned red. However, there was sound above:

" Hey, the intruders are down there!"

Both assassins de-embraced holding each other close together. They were barely catching their breaths and both their cheeks burned red.

" So, we should save this till later, honey?" The female said, her mouth was still dry from kissing.

" Yeah, till tonight." The male took three smoke pellets out. Both the male and female put hoods on their heads, covering their mouths, but their eyes were still visible." Let the mist help us disappear, my darling."


	12. Chapter 12

Dozens of men marched into the hull of the yacht. The whole room was fogged by a mist of white smoke. Everyone had trouble seeing through the thick smoke. Each of them nonetheless moved into the musty white fog.

One man was swishing a javelin he held with both his hands. A woman unexpectedly appeared before him. The woman moved closer to the man and kissed him on the lips. The man couldn't believe it was real–it really wasn't. Inside of him, irradiating from the woman's mouth, sparks of electricity came out. The man fell back and collapsed on the wooden floor.

" Aw, I love watching you do other men," The male assassin interpreted flamboyantly.

" Well, I'd love to see you do a man."

" For you, my dear, I'd do a thousand men. And... SWORD OF THE SERPENT!"

The male assassin swished a silver alloyed sword and it's blade stretched out. It elongated, growing near 10 feet long; more pieces of metal slanted to the front, and it slashed at every remaining worker in front of them.

The men were all dead. They were laying on the ground, lifeless, their eyes white, and blood drooled from their mouths.

The female assassin walked up and kneeled down in front of one lifeless man. She stuck her finger out, scraped blood off the ground, and licked it with her tongue. She smiled deviously, anime-like cat whiskers emanated under her nose, and a broad yet small smile spread on her face.

" Oh, you know how I like'em, honey."

" Of course I do, my dear. Now, let's get out of here. The kids are waiting for us at home."

###

Christopher was preparing a meal for his two stepsisters Aureola and Dawn. He took a chef's knife out, 8 width-8inchs, and used a metal rod with a rubber handle to sharpen it.

" Christopher, are you almost done?" Aureola said, there was hint her stomach was grumbling. " I'm sooooo hungry!"

" Just a second. Just need a little extra fat." Christopher threw a large carrot out–tossed on the wooden cutting board in front of him–as it was minced in a second, and then he slide the small pieces into his large cooking pot. Christopher took a stainless steel lifting spoon out, dipped it into the pot, took it out and then he drank the liquids inside. " Needs more salt."

The sound of a bell chiming was heard in the room. Dawn and Aureola turned their heads to the door; they saw their parent/stepparent standing near the door.

" My, something smells good," The female parent said. " What is that strange aroma?"

" That would be my son's cooking."

Christopher took five bowls out the kitchen's cabinet and slide them towards his right arm. The bowls stood perfectly still on his arm. Christopher used a rubber lifting spoon too take bits of stew in the pot out and drop them into his bowls.

" Stew's up!"

Christopher pushed all four bowls into the air, stuck his tongue out and it protracted out, and smacked the bowls to different directions. One bowl landed in Dawns' hands. Another bowl landed in Aureola's hands. Two were caught by the mother, and one was passed to the male. All four took a sip from their bowls.

" Mmmmmm…" All four unison together.

" Yum yum!"—Aureola.

" Sooo…good…"—Dawn

" Superb."—Rosa

" Fantastic work as always, Christopher," Christopher's father Kurt committed, took another sip of his sons stew. " I've taught you well. The soup mean. Not the … well, I won't go into detail."

" Thanks dad… I think," Christopher replied, he maintained a casual guise.

" Well, I'm off," Aureola lingual, she put her bowl down and moved to the door. " I have an assassination to take care of."

Aureola wondered the slums of her city. She had a ronda via point. She picked the height tower she could find, moved methodically, walked into the entrance of her tower and made way to the top.

On the top of the tower—she made sure her refuge were secure—reached into a secure trunk and pulled out her bow 'n' arrow. She planted her arrow on top of the towers railing, focusing, and noticed her target. Her target was tall, muscular man in extremely good physical condition. He had long, silver-blond with blue catlike eyes, and was dressed in a sleeveless shinobi outfit and wearing a pair of wristbands.

" Stay calm the entire time," Aureola thought, " You can do this. Don't be scared. It'll only take one shot to assassinate him."

Aureola pulled the tip of her arrow back through its open hole. Aureola breathed in, breathed out, and fired the arrow. The arrow headed straight towards the man—he caught it in midair. Aureola panted—she failed to assassinate her target.

"What was that?" The man said, sign of disappointment in his voice. "Did you really think a measly arrow could hit me?"

There was nowhere for Aureola to run. She was found, she was plight, she heard the sound of gun clicking on both sides of her head; she was trap.

## #

Aureola was dragged to the outside of someone else's house. The same tall figure stood before her. He had a glass of champagne in a crystal clear glass, Classical music playing in his house, and a bashful smile was spread across his face.

" Now, my lady, did you honestly think you could betroth me?" The man said smugly, took a sip of his champagne, then he put it back down. " You truly are a foolish girl. You are dealing with Silva. I am one of the most notorious black market dealers in all four Blues; no one wants to mess with me."

Aureola was too perturbed to listen to what the figure said. She instead grunted, snarled her teeth to him, while her eyes fixated on where she'd stab him.

" Let go of me, you crook!" Aureola barked, her eyes remained fixated on Silva.

Silva chuckled under his breath. He then lifted his bottle of champagne up and took another glass out of it. However, he ingested the last of the glasses liquids, threw it to the wall right of him and it smashed into dozens of pieces.

" You want out? Ha! You defiled the demeanor of my precious organization. Your punishment will be everlasting!" Silva reached into his pockets and took out a swish army knife. Silva abhorrently stuck the knife into the palm of his hands. Silva walked up to Aureola, showed her the drops of her blood, and then he rubbed it against her face. " Taste it! It's the taste of grievance!"

" Gyyyyyp!" Aureola cried, small drops of blood covered her smooth face.

All three men heckled at Aureola's situation. Silva raised his knife up again and poked her wrist—blood spurted out. Aureola's cries of agony became more elusive.

" So, have you had enough, or are you thirst for more? If you've had enough… tell me the location of your leader."

Aureola's agonizing pain just got more painful. She tried holding her pain back, as she flinched, and shaked her body around to control herself. " Drop dead… you bastar—" Aureola was cut on her right cheek by Silva. Aureola was hurt, Silva had his quick piece of gratification, but Aureola was analytic. " I'm sorry. Drop dead, you son of a bastar—"

Silva jabbed Aureola on the right side of her waist. Aureola was shivering, her teeth chattering, she tried to hold her pain back and instead cried. But Silva's patience grew thin of her.

Silva clasped his right arm to Aureola's mouth. Silva smiled gaily through his mouth; he had a atypical way of expressing emotions . " I've had just about enough of you, woman. Either you tell me who you're working for or the next strike will lodge directly into your heart!"

Aureola bit her lower lip. The anxiety was overwhelming her. The grip of the two men pressed hard on her elbows. Her spirit was fading, she was agonizing, however, her spirit remained strong.

" You might as well shove off! I'll never tell you! I'm the assassin that will never desist!"

Silva chuckled to himself. " You're such a naïve girl." Silva rubbed the hair on Aureola's hair. " I like that about you." Silva raised his knife above his head. " It'll make killing you much more savourful So, time to di—"

A long tongue protracted out and smacked Silva's knife away. Silva and his two goons both gasped. All four turned their heads; they saw the person interfering with them, Christopher. Aureola was amazed by Christopher's heroic appearance.

" Christopher-kun!" Aureola awedd. " You came to save me!"

Silva's goons clicked the triggers of their guns. snide smiles spread across their faces. " So, you came here to save this little bitch, eh?!' Silva said. " I like you, kid. Let's make a deal. I'll let her go, but you've gotta join my gang! Do we have a deal?"

Christopher walked up to Silva. One of Silva's goons pointed a gun towards Christopher. Christopher walked towards them all the same.

" Get back, Christopher!" Aureola cried, there was fear in her voice. " You don't owe me anything! Just think about yourself!"

Christopher however walked right up to Silva. Christopher bowed his head, mumbling something to himself, than raised his hand out in a formal fashion.

" We have a deal. Let Aureoal go."

Silva hesitated to touch Christopher's hand. However; his broad smile lengthened, and he squeezed his palm.

###

Christopher was being dragged into a frigate. He was in handcuffs, his legs trapped by chains around his legs, and being poked by a sharp spear behind his back. Silva stood in the centre of the musty ship. A broad smile was on his face.

"Guards, hold up," Silva ordered his guards, they stopped moving, Christopher raised his head up to the man; he had a wide face. " Young man, how brave of you to give yourself up to me. You must really care for this wench?"

Christopher didn't answer Silva's question. The guard behind him poked him with his sharp spear.

" Your superior's asking you a question. Answer him."

" No, he doesn't have to do anything he doesn't want, Jimbo. But he'll be doing some complicated chores around our ship and leisure our every whim. So, get him on this ship. Next trip… hell!"

###

Aureola, Dawn, and their parents/stepparents mourned an empty black coffin. Dawn kissed a red rose and tossed it into the open casket. Christopher's father tossed a knife into the casket; he knew how much he liked to cook. Christopher's stepmother tossed a sugar cookie into the casket; she knew how much she believed he liked sweets. Aureola was the last, weeping tears down her eyelids, tossed a yellow dandelion into the casket.

" Do you think he's really gone?" Dawn said, she didn't stop staring at the casket.

" I don't know," Aureola answered truthfully. " I only know: I'll never forget him."

Present

Aureola returned to the reality of her and Dorobou. Aureola cried tears from her eyes, wiped them away, and raised her bow back at Dorobou. " And I've never forgot him! He was my brother! I love him! And I won't let someone like you corrupt him!"

" Someone like me?" Dorobou answered skeptically, raised his right eyebrow. " Really?"

" DIE! CHLESTIAL LANCE POINT!"

Aureola fired one glowing arrow out of her bow. However, the arrow quickly multiplied into 5 separate arrows and soared towards Dorobou—as all the arrows conjoined into a massive glowing arrow. Dorobou's only response: "Fuck me"

Dorobou jumped to the right. The arrow exploded behind him and many pieces of stardust projected out of it. Dorobou defended himself, raised two of his coins out, and the stardust deflected from the pieces.

" I'm no meteorologist," Dorobou mumbled, used his coins to impulsively block the star pieces. " But I do believe it's raining bitches."

" CELESTIAL TWILIGHT!"

Aureola fired a glowing arrow out of her bow. Electricity electrified the arrow's tip. The arrow hit the space inches away from Dorobou; the arrow exploded. White light illuminated from the arrow and rammed into Dorobou.

###

Supaiku and Sherry's journey through the tunnel ended; they found Fletcher lying on the ground.

Supaiku walked up to his dumbass of a captain and kicked his shin.

Fletcher woke up nettled, his eyes boggled up, screamed, " YEOOCH!" Fletcher jumped up hyperactively. " OW OW OW!" Fletcher stopped his jittery reflexes. Fletcher rubbed his sore spot, glared at Supaiku, said, " That hurt, Supaiku. How could you do that too your captain?"

Supaiku kicked Fletcher's sore spot again. Fletcher's pain returned, his eyes boggled up, but Fletcher just fell down.

Supaiku smiled broadly at Fletcher. " First of all: I am not a part of your crew; I just follow you to learn new secrets. Second: we are facing an epidem… wait… where is Yokai?"

Fletcher's upset face turned into a shameful frown. Fletcher rubbed behind his head, stared at the ground, than looked back into Supaiku's eyes.

" I'm so sorry, Supaiku. I lost. I lost Yokai, and let him be taken away by his uncle."

" Woah, who's Yokai's uncle?" Sherry asked, she pressed her right arm over Fletcher's lip. " And what are you doing lying on the ground? And I thought you had insomnia stopping you from sleeping?"

" Who cares?" Supaiku said, brushed the Fletcher and Sherry off, headed forward, "The longer we wait; the longer we'll have to deal with Yokai's bickering."

###

Dorobou was barely staying alive—he gasped short breaths of air.

Aureola stood over Dorobou. Her left foot pressed against his abdomen, short cries of pain were moaned by Dorobou, as Aureola smirked.

" What's so damn funny, bitch?!" Dorobou cussed, his voice was agitated.

" I just can't believe Christopher. He'd really stoop to working for losers like you?"

" Bitch, shut your damn mouth."

" You know, you'll never get a girlfriend if you talk like that."

" I don't want one. And what about Christopher: I betcha wanna smooch him, long, and tenderly."

" I don't want to kiss him! I want to marry him!"

Dorobou reached for his rock connected to a chain behind his back. However, he couldn't feel his trump weapon. " What's going on? Where's my weapon?"

" Looking for this?" Aureola smirked unexpectedly, held Dorobou's weapon out. " Sorry, I couldn't help myself." Aureola fiddled with Dorobou's weapon—the chain snapped in half. Dorobou's anxiety grew." If there's one thing I've learned through my bitterment of losing Christopher: I don't show weakness to my enemies."

" Fuck, I don't have any energy left!" Dorobou pondered. " Fuck… what am I going to do!?"

Dorobou was paralysed. His muscles were limp, a fever arose from his anxiety, and knowing a woman was pointing a illuminous arrow at him didn't make things any better.

Dorobou could only think about his Aunt Sora, his cousin Aero and Moon, and his homeland . " I'm sorry… I couldn't find my parents..."

Aureola however pulled her bow 'n' arrow back. Aureola instead grabbed Dorobou by his right cheek and slapped him across his face. " You idiot! What were you hoping to prove!?"

Dorobou was both confused and anger. He didn't know what thing popped up in Aureola's head. He however didn't respond and instead gnarled his teeth.

" Don't play stupid with me, you idiot! A real assassin could stop me! But you foolishly barged in to assassinate me!"

Dorobou recovered a bit of his sanity, he yelled, " What the hell are you talking about!?"

" I'm talking about your attempt! You are a fool! You should've been more cautious of your environment and your opponent!"

" What's with this bitch?! First she wants to kill me, and now she's actually lecturing me about killing!?" Aureola clapped her hands together. Yellow light glowed from the space of her hands. Aureola pulled her hands back and showed it to Dorobou. The air was made of pure yellow metal, had three green emblems on the front, silky white string, and there was white feathers on the points. Aureola passed the bow to Dorobou. " What is this?"

Aureola's snarling face turned into a broad smile. " You wanted my bow, didn't you? Think of this one as a prototype. It can do the same actions as my weapon, however, well, give it a try."

" I can't," Dorobou backtalked. " I don't have the strength to get up."

Aureola reached her hands out and helped Doroou to his feet. Dorobou felt energy returned to his joints and bones. Aureola let go of Dorobou; instead pushed her bow into his arms.

"Here. Give it a try. I dare you."

Dorobou was uneasy about firing an arrow from his bow. Dorobou nonetheless pulled the arrow back and fired it at a nearby rock. The rock shattered into tiny pieces.

" I don't understand?" Dorobou gawked, he studied his bow. " What's wrong with it? Seems pretty effective enough for me."

The bow and arrow glowed bright yellow. Yellow light blasted out of the bow and went back to the shattered rock—it reanimated into a full grown rock.

"That's what's wrong. The bow itself cannot damage anything. Until you find its key… it's pretty much useless. Now, would you like to see your friends? I can take you to them."

" WHAAAAAAT!"

###

Lea had Yokai in his grasp. Lea grasped his nephew, grabbed his face, and laughed at him.

" So sorry, dear nephew. I really liked our time together. But you've been a nuisance in my organization for too long." Lea raised his staff up. All multivarious stones on the tip of his staff glowed brightly, Lea smiled wickedly. " Time for your demise! Ancient Art of the Elementals—"

" SHUT THE FUCK UP!" A loud voice shouted somewhere far away.

A n object rushed out of nowhere and smacked Lea's staff away. Lea was surprised; he just laughed wickedly. " So, you brought company, dear nephew? Not very nice."

Lea turned to the area the object was projected from. He had a glimpse of Fletcher, a burly beige skinned fishmen; Supaiku, and a catwoman with cat-ears; Sherry.

" Let Yokai go!" Fletcher shouted, there was anger in his voice.

Lea chuckled to himself. Lea lifted Yokai's unconscious body up and patted him on his right cheek. Lea flashed his snide smile to Yokai's friends.

" You act like he's my prisoner. He is my nephew after all. Try to show a little more courtesy for me. You are facing forces above your rank."

Supaiku's face boiled, " Shut…!" Supaiku submerged two bladetips from both his hands. " Your…!" Supaiku charged towards Lea; he swished both his blades side by side. " Damn…!" Supaiku pulled both his arms back—homed in on Lea, " MOUTH!"

Supaiku jabbed both his arms towards Lea—Lea disappeared. Supaiku searched the area for traces of Lea, however, he was looking in the wrong direction. Lea appeared through the shadows and chopped Supaiku behind his neck; Supaiku collapsed on contact.

" Such a stupid fishmen."

" Hey!" Fletcher yelled, he was enraged by Lea's actions. " Don't hurt my friends! Wind… Scythe!"

Fletcher swished his left hand. A blade-like figurine made of wind came out his arm and headed towards Lea .

Lea raised his staff up. All shards on the tip glowed bring green. " Ancient Art of the Elementals: Kaze!"

A giant gust of wind blewed out Lea's staff. The homecoming wind was absorbed, reflected; it enlargerd, and blew Fletcher back.

" Mew Mew 3rd Gear!" Sherry shouted.

Sherry dashed towards Fletcher. Her form transformed into a giant cat—Fletcher plummeted on her back and near crushed her with his weight.

Lea kept a bright broad yet snide smile. Lea raised his staff up; it was glowing dark. " Ancient Art of the Elementals: Yami!"

Sherry's cat form was covered in darkness. Sherry was pushed back, Fletcher pushed with her; held her fur tightly, as they were both screeching through their mouths. Sherry crashed on the ground. Fletcher however jumped up, spread his wings out, and hovered in the air.

" Sherry, are you okay?" Fletcher said midair.

" Y-yeah…" Sherry replied hesitantly. " Thanks for the concern, Fletcher. I really appreciate…"

Sherry passed out. Fletcher instantly ran up to her aid. However, Fletcher had no experience with medicine unlike Sherry.

" Sherry?" Fletcher shaked her furry body. " Please, wake up." Fletcher kept shaking Sherry's furry body. " Wake up for me, Sherry, please…"

" Begging won't do you any good!" Lea snickered behind. " And you call yourself a captain? You're nothing but a spoiled little freak!"

The shards in Lea's staff glowed bright yellow. He prepared to unleash another attack; a small projectile hit him behind his head. Lea was a little fazed by the projectiles, turned his head the other way, saw Dorobou throwing the small coins at him.

" I've just about had it with your blundering!" Dorobou yelled, threw more coins at Lea but were burned away by a heat wave emitting from Lea's staff. " First you ruin my nap, and now you're disturbing my thinking!"

Lea smiled snidely as he raised his staff up. The shards on his staff glowed in red-yellowish light. " Ancient Art of the Elementals: Hi-Kaminari!"

Dorobou was petrified. He knew what mischief Lea was planning. Dorobou ducked out of the way—avoided the catastrophe that would soon follow. The light of Lea's illuminated. Two beams of light seeped out, conjoined, merged together to form a giant dragon made of fire and charged by electricity.

" Why does this keep happening to me?" Dorobou pondered.

Dorobou ducked under a nearby rock sticking out of the ground. The flames reflected against the rock, intensively, the flames couldn't break past the rocks rough surface.

" Dorobou!" Fletcher yelled, his voice was drained by the roaring flames.

The flames unleashed from Lea's staff ceased. Dorobou jumped up from behind the rock, swinged his rock connected to a chain, and he rushed towards Lea. Lea raised his staff up and smacked it into the incoming pursuer. Dorobou flew back and slammed against the wall.

" Tricks like those are completely useless, you fool!"

Dorobou slide down from hitting the wall and landed head first on the ground. Moaning noises were breathed out Dorobou's mouth. Lea was overconfident. He defeated Supaiku, Sherry, and Dorobou. However; he couldn't hide the disappointed feeling he hadn't defeated Fletcher.

" Uncle..." Yokai groaned beneath Lea's feet. " Uncle Lea..."

Lea used the tip of his staff to lieft Yokai's head off the ground. Yokai was badly injured, his face was bleeding, and Lea was finding it too be titulating.

" What is it, dear nephew?" Lea laughed maliciously. " I'll kill you!" " I'm sorry, what?" " I'll kill you, uncle!" Lea looked closer into his nephew's eyes, and was estatic. His nephew rubbed his lips, he was angry, and Lea could almost sense a demonic aura emitting from him. I'LL KILL YO-!" Lea whacked his nephew on the head with the eight shards on his staff. Lea could almost hear a cracking noise inside Yokai's cranium; it could've been his imagination. But Lea found Yokai's suffering titulating. " You always were a naive monk, Yokai! Most monks would think about peace and harmony... you'd think about women and love! You don't have the courage to kill me! You'll always be below p-"

" Shut up!" Fletcher shouted. Lea turned around, and he saw Fletcher limply standing up. Fletcher had open cuts on his head, cuts in his arms, and he was panting. " You leave Yokai ALONE! YOKAI IS MY NAVIGATOR!"

Fletcher was limping to stand up. All his crewmates were unconscious: Supaiku, Sherry, and Dorobou. Yokai however was held by his nefarious uncle.

Lea the evil uncle of Fletcher raised his staff up to his head. Lea started chuckling maniacally from his mouth. " Do you really think you can stop me!? You're way over your head, kid! I'm tired of you always thinking Yokai has no choice in the matter."

" Let...Yokai...go..." Fletcher struggled to say.

" Do you really want to save him?! He's not the friend who've fooled yourself in believing. He's a cold blooded murderer. I can't even will myself to tell you how many people he's successfully killed."

Fletcher ignored Lea's ridicules, rubbed his burned right elbow and headed towards Lea. " Let...Yokai...go."

Lea ignored Fletcher's ultimatum and instead raised his staff up to him. " Ancient Art of the Elementals: Kaze!"

Wind came out Lea's staff and blew Fletcher backwards. Fletcher landed on the ground, a loud crashing noise was heard as his body hit, and the sound of agony grieved from his mouth.

" Why don't you go home and cry to your mommy?!"

Fletcher's ears were immune from Lea's torments. Fletcher ached closer, his heart beating at a rapid pace; he was breathing heavily through his mouth, but still managed to get closer to Lea.

" You..." Fletcher reached his right hand out as it shaked getting closer to Lea's face. " Y-you cannot have Yokai..." Fletcher's palm touched Lea's face. " Yokai's my Navigator!"

Lea striked Fletcher with his staff. Fletcher was pushed back, soaring in the air, but managed to stay afloat; he was flapping his wings to stay afloat.

" As I've said before: you are nothing but a spoiled brat. You drag these poor souls wherever you go, force them to your every request, and show no concern to their well-being."

" He has a point," Dorobou groaned behind. " I was living the carefree life until I meet you."

" And that's not all. You seem to have this demeanor allowing you to control my underling-assassins. Its bad enough you've ticked me. Now you're trying to abandon me of my dear nephew? The truth is: you're selfish."

Fletcher was ignorant by Lea's staff, however, he could still feel the pain barrelling up inside of him.

" Have I really been selfish? It's true, I have been dragging them along, and all because I want to be King of the Pirates."

" Don't listen to this shit, Fletcher!" Supaiku shouted behind, his voice awoke Fletcher from his stress " Your not selfish. You saved us. I was a slave to ruthless fishmen."

" And I was enslaved," Sherry added.

" I may not like it, but you did save my aunt," Dorobou groaned. " I guess you're better than some other pirates we could've worked for. And you are certainly better than this scum-bag."

Fletcher had a confused face at first. However, his face ripened, he was being moved by his crews encouragement. " My crew actually believe in me. Well, they believe in me, I believe in them. Time to bring out the beast in me. Wind... Vortex!"

Tremendous gust of wind breezed rampantly below Fletcher. Lea was pushed aback, his feet scraping against the ground, however, struck his staff into the ground and he stopped moving. Lea then smiled broad and snidely. " Now I'm impressed. Not many people have the power to recover from my blows. But I'm afraid our battle ends here." All eight shards in Lea's staff glowed brightly. " Ancient Art of the Elementals: A–"

" Tongue Prod!"

A long tongue protracted out of nowhere, it grabbed Lea's staff, and it was pulled away. Lea was left to grovel in his misfortune.

" What! Who took my staff away?!"

" That would be me, wiseguy," Christopher's voice echoed.

Both Lea and Fletcher looked to where the voice was echoing. They both saw Christopher appeared out of nowhere. Christopher had Lea's staff wrapped around by his tongue. Lea had no way of defending himself; his staff was snagged by Christopher. Christopher teasingly stuck Lea's staff in his mouth and stuck it back out.

" So, the toad's escaped Meiko, eh? Guess some worthy people have been taken by the spoiled brat?"

Christopher took the staff out and spinned it in circles, " Fletcher, take this creep down."

" Right! I'll blow him away! Wind...Scythe!"

Fletcher released his blade figurine of wind. Lea however wasn't impressed; he took a small compressed grey metallic pellet out of his hips.

" The most important rule of an assassin: If you can't win..." Lea threw the pellet on the ground–white smoke came out and covered Lea's body. "... cheat."

Fletcher's wind blew the smoke away–Lea was nowhere to be found. The whole room was empty; there was just Fletcher and his crew. However, near Christopher, someone rushed in and stole Lea's staff away–Christopher was too confused to feel any pain.

###

Lea made his way out of his base. He took the underground passage, the shortest route he could find, and ended up on the shores of his island.

Lea stretched his arms and wiggled his muscles. Everything Lea owned had been taken from him. He lost everything.

" Those damn pirates!" Lea thought. " First they steal my nephew from his served duties, and now they run me out of my own base! I'll kill them! I'll kill all of th–"

" Freeze!" A loud and informal voice yelled beside Lea. " Put your hands up, and lie on the ground! Do it now!"

Lea had eyes on the back of his head–they were buried in his cranium–saw the legion of marines surrounding him. He didn't have his staff and so was completely powerless. There was no way for him to fight back, he was unarmed, and his assassins were gone. Lea put his hands over his head and made his way down–

" TAKE THIS!"

Something appeared behind the marine and walloped him behind his head. The rest of the marines followed; something appeared near them and punched them behind their heads.

" Soldiers, form together!" A marine captain's voice yelled.

A group of marines marched up to each other. Each of them crouched down, raised their rifles up, and prepared to fire.

" Over here, you buncha stupid marines!" A raspy voice yelled.

All marines refocused where the voice was coming from–Lea focussed on where the voice was coming from. He was a lean yet masculine man, wearing a yellow garment, tanned skin, orange eyes, large claws, long black hair flowing behind his head, and black ears, carrying a daito.

The figure lifted up his daito, thrusted it towards the marines, and he charged towards them.

" He's hostile!" The marine captain shouted. " Fire your weapons now!"

All marines pulled the triggers of their rifles; bullets were fired. The bullets hit the figures garment, and they all bounced off.

" Our weapons aren't working!" One of the marines shouted.

" Keep firing!"

" Not very wise of you, marine!" Another voice said behind.

Lea witnessed it, he still couldn't believe it, a another figure touched two marines and their bodies turned into gold statues. A bald man wearing a white shirt with alcohol stains on it.

" Swordplay, engage!"

The dozens of marines unsheathed their swords and used them to wield off the two figures–the one with alcohol stains had a sword pointed at his neck–the other one's weapon collided and couldn't break through three marine swords.

" These pirates..." Lea pondered. " Are they trying to save me?"

" Don't worry, Lord Lea" A familiar voice said. " I'll take care of these miscreants!"

Stag, the spiky black haired ninja Lea knew, jumped out of nowhere and joined the group of marines. Stag flashed a golden arm replacing his right hand. Stag walloped at the marines, and they were all taken down with his single punch. However, the marine captain was sturdy enough to stay engage, stuck his sword into the ground to stop his moving.

" I'm gonna get you, you filthy pirates!" The captain sneered, stuck his sword out of the ground and raised it at the four pirates in front of him. " Let it be known: I, Henry Backblade, admiral of the marines, single-handily took–"

Henry the admirals body numbed up. He fell face first to the ground, a blowdart shinnied under the light, a new figure made his appearance. He was as tall as Lea, wearing white baboon fur, had a baboon gray face with soulless black eye sockets, yet the mouth of a human being under its snot.

" I was hoping to stay secrete," The figure mentioned, there was anxiety in his voice. " Now, time to help our newest member. Gecko, if you'll be so kind."

" With pleasure, sir," A person's voice said somewhere discreet.

Lea was grasped all of a sudden and dragged him towards the strange figure in less then a second.. Lea noticed a new figure holding his arm. The figure passed a heavy object to Lea, and he realized it was his staff with eight shards.

" My staff!" Lea said happily, hugged his staff. " How did you ever manage getting it from the likes of my nephew, you?"

The figure stood still yet boldy; he wasn't making a sound. The four figures including Stag's moved in front of him. All four chuckled to themselves.

" My name is Jakkaru!" The dog-eared figure laughed gleefully.

" And I'm Captain GoldenFinger!" The bald figure laughed gleefully.

" You already know me, m'lord. My name is Stag's."

" The names Gecko!" The white haired figure laughed. " You probably didn't know this, but I was once a marine Admiral."

" And my name is Dartz," The white furred figure said. " You should count yourself lucky, Lea. I am going to be King of the World!"


	13. Chapter 13

The group finally reached the exit of Lea's underground base.

Sunlight shined down from the sky above. The light lightened the area, ultraviolet rays heating the bodies of Fletcher and his crew, a cool breeze cooling them off.

" Oh my god, that was absolute HELL!" Sherry complained

" Tell me about it," Dorobou replied, he was half-asleep. " I can't believe I missed out on napping."

" YOU WERE ASLEEP THE WHOLE TIME!" Everyone but Fletcher and Yokai shouted in unison.

" Yeah, barely."

Everyone took a turn to wallop Dorobou in the face. Sherry was the first to step up, talons came out her fingernails, and she scratched Dorobou on his right cheek. Supaiku came up next, a sword blade submerged from his right arm, he poked Dorobou on his right arm. Christopher was the last up, stuck his tongue out, whipped it at Dorobou's face.

" Take that, asswipe," Sherry revile, she was walking towards Fletcher; he was holding the unconscious body of Yokai.

" I hope you die of heart failure for being lazy," Supaiku muttered, he walked back towards the groups ship.

" Just to let you know: I spit in everything I serve you," Christopher muttered, he frolicked too where Supaiku moved.

Meanwhile, Sherry was kneeled down near Yokai. Fletcher held Yokai's body in place. Sherry leaned down and rubbed Yokai's head. " You were so brave out there, monk. I may not've seen it, but Fletcher told me you saved his life, and fought till the very en–" Sherry felt a strange feeling behind her. Sherry looked around, she noticed Yokai's freehand; he was rubbing her tush affectionately. " EEEEEKKKKK! PERVEEEEEERT!"

Sherry slapped Yokai's right cheek. Yokai was started by the hit, however, woke up from his sleep. He noticed Sherry looking at him and smiled. " Oh, hello there, Sherry. Fancy meeting you here."

" Drop...dead...you PERVERT!" Sherry growled, her cheeks were boiling red with anger.

Sherry glared at Yokai. Sherry stood up and walked away from Yokai. Yokai just stared blankly at Sherry, wagging her cattail in frustration, as her cat talons stuck out.

" What's her problem? Jeez."

###

The crew were back working on their ship: Supaiku, Sherry, Dorobou(sleeping at mast), and Christopher. All of Fletcher's crew leaned against the railing except Dorobou.

"What do you think is taking Fletcher and Yokai so long?" Sherry asked, there was anger in her voice with the name "Yokai".

"I don't know," Supaiku said. " I think Fletcher's chatting with Yokai. Give them a little time. Everything's changed with Yokai. He was once a vicious assassin-monk, now he's a part of our crew. His uncle tried to kill him, remember?"

" Captain Supaiku, how much longer until we set sail?" Christopher asked, he kept ogling how Supaiku's scales glistening in the sunlight.

" When Fletcher and Yokai come back of course. Shouldn't be long. If I know that idiot: he'll be rushing back for a rack of meat any second know."

###

Fletcher and Yokai were sitting on top of a cliff near bright blue sea. Fletcher gazed at the sight of the sea. Yokai however stared musingly at the ground and kept banging the hilt of his staff to it.

" WOW, this is so COOL!" Fletcher awed, his voice was high pitched and would disturb residents; if an island had any. "YOKAI, you've gotta admit, this is SO COOL!"

" Yeah... it's pretty cool..." Yokai replied musingly. "Say, Fletcher, I've been meaning to ask you: how do you stay so calm?"

Fletcher stopped looking at the sea, and he looked at Yokai. "What do you mean, Yokai?"

" I mean: it's like you're not emotional about anything. You were just angry by my uncle because of me and yet you seem placid. I find that too be uncanny. But for some reason... you're placid."

Fletcher kept staring blankly at Yokai. Fletcher reached his right hand up, put it over his head, and scratched his head. Fletcher soon smiled widely. "I'm stupid! I don't' think about problems; there's so much fun I could be doing!"

Yokai stared blankly at Fletcher. Yokai then stared at his staff with three colorful shards on it. Yokai smiled mildly. " I've been thinking: you're a pretty fun guy to be around." Yokai's eyes became heavy and his mouth drooled with saliva. " And you've got a crewmate with a hot bode."

" Hot what?"

" Oh, never mind. I've just been thinking: may I be a part of your crew? The last time we were together things didn't go our way–I blame me narcissism. But maybe I have a chance to mend what I've broken. I think your crew would be a perfect start."

Fletcher stared blankly at Yokai. Fletcher's eyes twitched; his lips were twitching. Fletcher opened his mouth and laughed.

" Heh heh heh! Silly Yokai! You're already a part of my CREW! Buwhahahah!"

Fletcher fell down, rolled around, and was laughing hysterically. Yokai was surprised, however, smiled. Yokai opened his mouth and started laughing.

" Heh heh heh! Yeah, that was a pretty STUPID question! Buwahahaha!"

Yokai fell down, rolled around, and was laughing hysterically besides Fletcher. Fletcher didn't know–Yokai didn't know–they had created a bond between them.

" Heh heh heh!"

###

" Raise the sails! Raise the anchor! Let's GO!"

Fletcher's crew moved to fulfill their captains orders. Each pirate did their own deed: Supaiku worked on retrieving their anchor, Sherry and Dorobou raised the ship's sails; Dorobou pulled the ropes, and Sherry pulled on Dorobou's waist, Yokai steered the helm, Christopher watched their sailing in the crow's nest, Fletcher blew air at the ship and pushed it away.

" Here we GO!" Yokai shouted excitedly, he spined the wheel of the helm effortlessly.

And the crews were off. Fletcher swooped down and joined everyone. Nobody payed him any attention except for Yokai; he was waving his free arm while using his other arm to turn the helm.

" ALRIGHT, we've got a NAVIGATOR!" Fletcher laughed, pumped both his hands in the air. " This calls for a PARTY!"

###

Fletcher's ship was stationed on a small nearby island.

All six pirates partied their own ways. Fletcher soared in the air and snatched all birds with his claws–he was having a contest with Christopher–Christopher used his tongue to pluck a nearby seagull and retract it into his mouth. A huge "GULP" was heard when the seagull was swallowed into Christopher's esophagus.

" Take that, birdbrain!" Christopher mocked. " Nobody beats my tongue at anything!"

" We'll see about that!" Fletcher shouted bluntly" " Wind...Vortex!"

Fletcher flapped his bird wings rapidly. A twister of wind came out of nowhere, and it was sucking in the birds.

" Hydro Cannon!"

The twister of wind filled with birds came infront of Fletcher's mouth. He was about to swallow the birds–a geyser of water appeared out of nowhere, and it sucked the birds away from Fletcher. Fletcher saw Christopher at the moment and how he was sucking the water and the seagulls down his gulch.

Christopher swallowed the birds and licked his lips in satisfaction. "My, those were some tasty birds. Thanks for the win-snack, dumbass."

Supaiku and Dorobou meanwhile were having a game of Darts. Supaiku used a small knife. Dorobou used one of his coins. Their target was a handpainted target on a bamboo tree.

" Friendly warning: I never miss a target," Dorobou said cockily.

"Well, I'm a sore loser," Supaiku smirked.

The rules of their game: Each player throws darts in his turn. If a foot crosses over the line or a person happens to trip over the oche and releases his dart, the throw counts for no points and may not be re-thrown. Darts making it on the board score in the following manner: In the wedge: the amount posted on the outer ring. The double ring (the outer, narrow ring): twice the number hit. The triple ring (the inner, narrow ring): three times the number hit. Bulls eye (outer bull): twenty-five points. Double bulls eye (inner bull): fifty points.

Dorobou threw his coin, and it landed perfectly in the Bullseye.

" Ha! Beat that, A-hole!"

Supaiku steadied his aim. His breathing became much more apparent. Supaiku breathed from his mouth, was in deep concentration, and whispering to himself.

"I am a knife; I need to be sharp,"

Supaiku threw his one knife. However; Supaiku raised his hands up and dozens of knifes were fired–the whole target was covered in small blades. " Bullseye."

" WHAT?!" Dorobou yelled angrily. "THAT'S CHEATING!"

" You said we had to throw a target on the Bullseye?" Supaiku said. " You never said anything about using one item."

Sherry was sitting behind a counter made of palm wood. Sherry took two coconut shells, banged them together, and shaked them. Sherry dropped her coconuts on her counter. " Come and get it! We've got fresh coconuts for y'all."

Fletcher and Christopher came out of nowhere infront of Sherry's counter. Both banged their fists against the tabletop; Sherry took it as an indication they wanted a "drink". Sherry passed one coconut each to Fletcher and Christopher.

" Thanks!" Fletcher and Christopher unison.

Fletcher and Christopher both chugged down their shells of coconut. However, Christopher threw his shell away and spat out its creamy liquids.

" Aw, c'mon. It's not that bad."

" You tryna kill us!?" Christopher shouted, he wiped his face of any more coconut milk. " There's alcohol in these coconuts!"

" I know. My daddy always said: throw a prank; use alcohol in other people's drinks; they can't see the alcohol And he'd always–"

Sherry was cutoff mid-sentence–Fletcher leaned in and kissed Sherry on her lips. Sherry was flustered by the tenderness in Fletcher's lips, his tongue felt against hers, and the aroma of a man half-bird. Fletcher ceased his kissing, and he ogled the person he was staring at

" Y'know, I always thought you were cute. Your eyes, the way you talk, and your physique. Perhaps when I become King of the Pirates... you'll consider coming with me as my Queen.

Fletcher was under the delusion of the alcohol he consumed—he was looking at Christopher, and said all the seductive words to him.

" It's me, Christopher, dumbass."

" I'LL KILL YOU!" Sherry growled, she jumped away from the counter, and thus they began their quarrel.

Meanwhile, Yokai was laying wide-awake near a nearby bamboo tree. Yokai found Sherry chasing Fletcher to be humorous.

_" My, they sure are a lively bunch,"_ Yokai thought, he was giggling. _" They're not some tough pirates. But that's a good thing; at least I don't have to lie to them."_

###

It was the start of a brand new day.

Fletcher's crew were all enervated by their late night of partying. Supaiku created a shelter of swords to barricade himself from sunlight seeping in. Sherry morphed herself into her small cat form and curled up in a ball. Dorobou put his black sunglasses over his eyes and slumped against a nearby pine tree. Christopher used his long tongue to hang on a tree branch of a palm tree. While Yokai was lying on the shade of the same palm tree and muttering to himself.

Fletcher was in his bird form, under the water; was fishing, emerged from the water with a fish flopping in his mouth.

" Yccummieee( Yummy)!" Fletcher laughed with the fish in his mouth.

Fletcher spat the fish too the small island, and then dived back into the water.

Yokai was the first too wake up. He rubbed his head, looked around, and then got up to roam the island. Yokai reached the shores–he stopped when something looked peculiar.

" I'm pretty sure we left our ship here," Yokai said to himself. " Ah, maybe it's just my imagination? Maybe I need more sleep?"

However, Sherry pounced up behind Yokai in her human body, and smacked him behind his head.

" You IDIOT!" Sherry shouted, smacked Yokai again in the back of his head. " Where's our SHIP!?"

Yokai was slow, turned around and smiled at Sherry. " Ah, have you decided whether you are going to bear my child?"

Sherry smacked Yokai in his head again. Yokai was then hit on the other side of his head by a flying-fish. Fletcher swooped down and joined Sherry and Yokai.

" Hey guys!" Fletcher noticed Sherry controverting on the other side. Fletcher moved beside her and looked where she was staring. Fletcher couldn't see anything. " So, what are we looking for?"

Sherry smacked Fletcher behind his head.

###

Fletcher and his crew probe the island for their ship. However, no matter how hard they looked, there was no sight of their ship.

Sherry, Christopher, and Dorobou soon gave up. Sherry morphed back into her household cat form, and then curled herself into a ball in order to sleep. Christopher went back to sucking birds into his mouth with his tongue. And Dorobou put his black sunglasses back on his eyes, and then went back to sleeping near a palm tree.

" This just doesn't make any sense," Supaiku thought outloud. " I just don't see how our ship could just sail away. We had it anchored. It couldn't have just woke itself and sailed away."

" Maybe it died?" Fletcher thought outloud.

" Do you even LISTEN to YOURSELF!?" Supaiku noticed Yokai had his eyes closed; his hands up to his nose, and was chanting something to himself. Supaiku scratched one spike on his head in wonder, " Yokai, what are you doing?"

Yokai stopped his chanting and turned his attention to Supaiku. Yokai smiled, closed his eyes, and raised his staff with three shard on it, " I am monitoring where our ship is moving."

Supaiku instantly walloped Yokai on his forehead. Yokai groaned as he was smacked.

" WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US EARLIER!? "

Yokai rubbed his head. Yokai smiled sheepishly when he was hit. " I'm sorry. I can be forgetful at times. You deserve a better navigator than me."

Fletcher hugged Yokai behind his waist. Yokai felt the warmness of Fletcher. He then felt the ruffle of feathers pressing against his skin.

" Yokai knows where our ship is? Yokai will lead us there. Wind...Tornado!"

Fletcher flapped his wings rapidly. The wind created a large tornado. The tornado sucked in all the crew: Supaiku, Sherry, Dorobou, Christopher, and Yokai.

The crew spinned into the azure blue sky. The sound of echoing cries was heard from all of Fletcher's crew. And then they were gone; the wind died down and no human life was awry.

###

A large tornado moved through the blue seas.

The tornado soon faded—Fletcher wished it.

Fletcher and his crew of five fell down: Supaiku, Sherry, Dorobou, Christopher, Yokai. Supaiku fired small swords out and used them as footsteps. Sherry morphed to a small cat and climbed on Supaiku's neck. Dorobou threw small coins out and used them as footsteps. Chhirstopher gripped his long tongue on Supaiku's right leg. While Fletcher was in his bird form and carried Yokai.

The group soon reached a small island. Fletcher landed smoothly on the ground, set Yokai down, and transformed into his human form. Supaiku crashed on the ground—both his passengers were unharmed—they both ran away, and then clobbered Fletcher in his head.

" YOU IDIOT!" Sherry and Dorobou unison.

" WE WERE NEARLY KILLED!" Sherry shouted.

" YOU'RE LUCKY SUPAIKU SAVED US, YOU ASS!" Christopher shouted.

Fletcher was benumbed. He could hardly think straight. " Mommy... I don't want to go to...hospital today."

Dorobou landed smoothly on the ground. Dorobou patted all dust particles off his body. Dorobou walked up to Fletcher, helped him to his feet, and hugged him to everyone's surprise.

" That was sick!" Dorobou praised. " Totally! It was so awesome!"

Sherry and Christopher clobbered Dorobou's face. Dorobou grabbed his head, he was under great pressure .

" DON'T ENCOURAGE HIM!"

" WOAH!" A flamboyant voice laughed. " This is SO COOL!"

Sherry and Christopher were confused. They looked back at Fletcher; found him to still be paralyzed. Both Sherry and Christopher scratched their heads sheepishly.

" What was that?" Christopher said. " It sounded a lot like Fletcher."

" Yeah. But this voice sounds more girly," Sherry remarked.

" You know what: let's check it out."

Fletcher was in the lead. He was heading too where the voice was calling.

The rest of Fletcher's crew were barely able to keep us. Supaiku was running in the front. Sherry ran in her giant cat form to keep up with Supaiku. Yokai and Christopher were running side by side. And Dorobou ran with his eyes closed in the very back.

" Fletcher, where are you taking us?" Christopher moaned in the back.

" Where the music's taken me, kitten!" Fletcher laughed joyously.

" What music?" Sherry complained.

" And who are you calling kitten!" Christopher shouted.

Fletcher couldn't hear anyone. He was having the time of his life. He could fly freely, using his own two legs, and laughing along the way.

Fletcher's ignorance got the best of him—he bumped into a passing figure. Fletcher and the mysterious figure fell down. The aid of Fletcher's crew ran up—the aid of another crew walked up.

" Dumbass," Both groups unison together.


	14. Chapter 14

It was then all group members noticed each other. Each one walked up and examined the other closely.

Supaiku walked up to the swordsman of the group. A green haired figure, white shirt, green jeans, and three swords on his left Supaiku and the green bandana swordsman raised their swords to each other in salute.

" Nice to see another swordsman," Supaiku said, his blade shined in the light.

" The feelings mutual, fishy," The swordsman said rather coolly and with a bedazzling smile.

Dorobou and another figure walked up to each other. He was tanned, wearing a bandana around his head, and had a long nose. The figure was startled by Dorobou near him with his eyes closed, raised a slingshot up, pulled on the elasticband, and pointed it at Dorobou's face. " Don't move or I'll shot!"

" Extraordinary," Dorobou mumbled in his sleep. " A grown man who uses a slingshot for a weapon? That's a rare tool. Tell me, strange man, whoever taught you to use a slingshot?"

The man looked at Dorobou blankly. The man soon put his slingshot away, and then he smiled. " You know my weapon just by sound?"

" No other weapon is capable of making a hymn sound. You must be very proud of your tool?"

Yokai walked up to the only female figure. A slender girl with maroon eyes and short auburn hair, blue-whitish shirt, and a short skirt. Yokai raised his arms up and squeezed the girls hands. " Say, would you be willing to bear my child?"

The woman took her hands away, her cheeks were red, and she was growling, " As if, ero-monk!"

" Ero-monk?" Sherry said. " I like that. Perhaps I'll use it on Yokai time to time."

Christopher walked up to another one of the figuresa slim, yet muscular, long-legged young man with blond hair and his hair brushed over one side of his face. He wore a black velvet suit.. Both Christopher and the man reached into their pockets, fiddled with their hands, and then took kitchen knives out.

" So, you're a chef, eh?" Christopher asked, raised his eyebrow.

" Yeah," The figure replied coolly. " And my dream is to find-"

" Don't tell me-"

" The ALL BLUE!" Both Christopher and the blonde haired chef unison, then embraced with other with hugs.

Fletcher was left with a strawhat figure with a goofy grin. Fletcher and the strawhat boy laughed together.

" Fletcher, it's been a long time!" The boy wearing a strawhat laughed.

" Yay!" Fletcher also laughed.

Both boy's embraced each other. They soon locked their elbows together, laughing merrily, and kicking their feet. Sherry watched Fletcher chanting with zeal. She couldn't hide her smile, tried placing her free hand over her mouth, but couldn't hide the noise.

" I am on a crew of idiots," Sherry thought outloud. " And the biggest idiot is me for joining these idiots."

Both sides stopped their playing. The five pirates of Fletcher joined a line: Fletcher, Supaiku, Dorobou, Christopher, and Yokai. The five figures joined a line: Strawhat boy, green bandana wearing man, maroon eyes girl, long-nosed man, and man dressed as a waiter.

" This is it, Fletcher," The strawhat boy said.

" Yeah," Fletcher said. " I know we promised to meet in the Grand Line, but our duel will begin. We are taking our boat back from you."

Both the pirate teams formed a straight line. Sherry however was in between both lines and holding a small wooden box out.

" Hello. I am Sherry, and I'll be managing this competition to win our boat back, because I couldn't be a part of the fighting, and isn't that just sad? Well the first match will be:" Sherry reached her hand inside the boxes open slot and fiddled around. She then pulled a small piece of paper out and read it, " Christopher VS... Sanji, is that it?"

" That would be me," The blonde-haired waiter said coolly.

Christopher and Sanji both walked up to Sherry. All pirates cheered for their crewmates.

"YEAH, CHRISTOPHER'S THE BEST!"–Fletcher.

" Show them what we're made of, Christopher!"–Supaiku.

" Zzzzzzzzz,"–Dorobou.

" May Hera guide your fighting,"–Yokai.

Meanwhile, Sherry raised her right arm up and called the fight:

" I want a good ' n' clean fight. You cannot murder each other, no weapons allowed unless you're using the same one, save your crude language to a minimum volume, and the only way to win is making the other quit or making him fall on the ground." Sherry chopped her arm. " BEGIN!"

" Let's get it on, waiter!" Christopher said.

" I'm a su-chef!" Sanji the black velvet wearing man retorted.

Both Christopher and Sanji both did backflips to get to the other side of the field. Both Christopher and Sanji then got into fighting stances when they reached their spots.

" Tongue Prod!"

Christopher protracted his tongue out. It stretched towards Sanji, slithering like a snake, and then wrapped around Sanji's lower body. Sanji showed no signs of angst.

" L-Look Ca-Captain Supa-iku!" Christopher muttered loudly. " I've got him!"

" No, that's not it," Supaiku pondered on the sidelines. " He's toying with you; I just know it."

Sanji jumped quickly out of Christopher's coiled tongue. Christopher would agape, however, he was too busy reeling his tongue back into his mouth.

" Nice try, frogboy," Sanji the su-chef smirked. " It'll take fancier moves than that to get me."

Sanji jumped into the air. Christopher saw him go airborne, he was floating overhead, smiling down at him, and had his right leg stretched out. Sanji prepared to dive down and kick Christopher.

" Way to go, Sanji!" The auburn haired girl cheered.

Sanji stopped instantly in midair. His eyes became pink and heart shaped.

" NAMI! I knew you were thinking about me, NAMI!"

Sanji lost his balance. His feet started going wobble. Sanji plummeted to the ground, nearly ramming into Christopher, but the young assassin backed up out of his way. Sanji's eyes were still heart-shaped.

" Buwahahaha!" Fletcher laughed hysterically. " He's so FUNNY!"

" Idiot," Dorobou and Supaiku muttered in unison.

Sanji kicked his legs on the ground, and then pushed himself up. Sanji maintained a cool smile. " That was pretty good fighting techniques."

" I didn't even use any," Christopher muttered.

" From one chef to another: I am going to enjoy this!"

Sanji thrusted his right leg towards Christopher. However, Christopher retaliated by kicking his left leg. Both Sanji and Christopher were pushed back, returned fire, kicked each other against each other.

Fletcher and his crew were all awing by the ferocity of their feet. Fletcher awed with his tongue out and sparkling eyes. Supaiku just smiled and shrugged his shoulders. Dorobou was too busy sleeping, however, his ears were twitching as Christopher and Sanji fought furiously. Sherry's cat ears twitched optimistically and her face was elated. Yokai was too busy ogling at the auburn haired girl Nami.

" Wow, Christopher's so COOL!" Fletcher awed, he was pumping his fists as Christopher fought.

" Y'know, he wasn't nearly this strong when I fought him," Supaiku complimented, there wasn't any emotion in his voice.

" Maybe he got stronger when we were in that underground," Sherry said.

" Zzzzzzzz…" Dorobou snored.

" I agree with Dorobou," Yokai said. " We are each unique people. That's what makes us special, it makes us worthy, and it lets Hera guide us through the darkness."

Meanwhile, Christopher narrowly evaded another kick from Sanji. Christopher prepared for his attack:

" Hydro Cannon!"

Christopher raised his right arm up. A wound opened out of Christopher's right arm, murky and damp liquids dripping out, a small ball of water was fired. The ball moved fast as a bullet, rushed towards Sanji, but Sanji raised his right leg up and dispersed the ball.

Chritopher and Sanji were on the ground, Christopher had his legs wrapped around Sanji's neck, Sanji had his legs wrapped around Christopher's neck. Both pirate sides were groaning by the two chefs power.

" That's a cheesy tactic," Sherry whispered into Fletcher's ear.

" CHEESE!?" Fletcher replied. " WHERE!?"

Sanji and Christopher both pushed the other away. Sanji and Christopher than pushed themselves up. Christopher and Sanji both smiled broadly.

" I was right," Sanji chuckled.

" You're a pretty cool chef," Christopher chuckled, he took the words out of Sanij's mouth.

" Too bad there can only be one winner," Christopher and Sanji unison.

Sanji followed aerobatics, did multiple backflips towards Christopher, moving closer and closer.

" I wouldn't do that if I were you." Sanji ignored Christopher, backflipped towards him, then kicked his body, but instead sticked on his skin. " Told ya."

Sanji struggled to get loose. His body was stuck; he was stuck, and groaned. Christopher at the time was laughing. Fletcher and everyone else around him were staring.

" SANJI!" All four of Sanji's friends shouted.

Sanji kept struggling prying free. However, Sanji stopped struggling. Sanji smiled broadly.

" Guess I can't win," Sanji chuckled. " But that doesn't mean you can win."

Sanji pushed himself back; he pushed Christopher back. Both Sanji and Christopher went airborne, their bodies spinning in a loop, and soon fell back towards the ground.

" NO!"

Sanji and Christopher both landed on their heads. Their eyes spinned in circles, their mouths were agape, they both fell down and on the ground.

" Double Knockout!" Sherry said. "Neither side wins! Even scores!"

All pirates on both sides laughed. Fletcher and the strawhat boy laughed the hardly, they stared zealously, and their tongues sticked out.

" Let the next round begin!"

" The next battle will be, Yokai VS Nami!" Sherry called, she referred the battle.

Yokai and Nami walked up to the center of the stage. Nami and Yokai both stared deep into each other's eyes. Yokai then grabbed Nami's arms and held them tightly yet passionately.

" Will you be willing to bear my child?"

Everyone but Fletcher and Luffy the strawhat boy agape—Fletcher was too busy laughing—Luffy got bored of the fighting and fell asleep.

Nami felt the need to help Yokai, however, she was enraged by a rough hand stroking her rear-end. " Stupid ero-monk. Couldn't he have just rubbed my shoulder? PERVERT!"

Nami slapped Yokai across his right shoulder. A red mark burned on his right cheek.

" Well, that's what he gets for putting his hand in the gutter," Supaiku remarked, shaked his head.

" Just when I thought he couldn't be more perverted," Christopher said limply, shaked his head as well.

" Yokai's going to BE A DADDY!" Fletcher laughed hysterically.

Yokai acted as if he wasn't hurt. He closed his eyes, put his fingertips together, chanting, "Relieve me of all my temptations. Now, would you be willing to play strip poker?"

Nami slapped Yokai across his right cheek a second time, yelling, " ERO-MONK!"

All crew mates once again reacted to Yokai's remarks.

" This monk is such an idiot," The green haired man commented.

" HOW dare he TOUCH MY NAMI!" Sanji the blond-haired waiter growled.

" HE'S FUNNY!" Luffy laughed hysterically.

Yokai once again recovered from the slap to his face. And once again he put his fingertips together, closed his eyes and chanted to himself, "Relieve all my temptations. "

" BEGIN!"

Nami took out three small wooden poles. The poles connected and became a Bo staff. Nami gnarred, she was irate with Yokai, and prepared to whoop him where it hurt. However, Yokai showed no fear, and he instead chanted to himself.

" Wake up, pervert!" Nami shouted, jabbed Yokai with her Bo staff, but Yokai stopped her with his staff's shards . " WAKE UP!"

" It is against my tuition to harm a women," Yokai said with his eyes closed. " But I will not lose against you. Ancient Art of the Elementals: KOORI!"

The blue shard on Yokai's staff glowed bright blue. Multiple shards of ice were unleashed, dissipating on the ground, as a fog of cold air breezed under her.

" Woah!" Nami thought. " This feeling is so… cold. What type of power is this?"

Nami was numb from the cold air. While she was numb, Yokai used his staff to reach under Nami's skirt and pull her skirt up.

" WHAT?!" Everyone unison, were dumbfounded by Yokai's actions.

Nami felt the rush of anger boiling in her head. Nami recovered, shaked her right arm, and then smacked Yokai's head with her long staff.

" PERVERT!"—Nami

" Absolutely."—Supaiku.

" The biggest one I've ever seen."—Christopher

" Heh heh!"—Fletcher.

"And I thought you were bad, idiot chef." The green haired swordsman said.

" I-WILL-KILL-HIM!"—Sanji.

" Heh heh!"—Luffy.


	15. Chapter 15

Yokai recovered from his blow, said, " Ancient Art of the Elementals: HI!"

The tip of Yokai's staff glowed brightly red. Flames roared out, ablazing, bright red flames, scorched through Nami's clothes. Everyone agape; the flames burned away her clothes and left nothing but her white-brown polka dotted bra and white panties.

" My, my third eye sees what you're wearing as a classy piece of lingerie," Yokai said, his eyes were closed. " You may not consider bearing my child, but maybe you'd consider letting me feel your—"

Nami kicked Yokai. Yokai soared back; the force of Nami's kicks moved him 3 feet away. Nami was angry, breathing hefty amounts of air, as everyone else just stayed silent.

" He's gone; call the match!" Nami ordered.

Sherry wasn't paying much attention to Nami. Christopher collapsed from the pain he endured in the last battle, so Sherry set him down and used her stem cell induced tongue to lick away all Christopher's cuts and bruises.

Supaiku took over as the referee. Supaiku picked up the flags Sherry used, walked in the center of the area, and waved his flag up. " I hereby announce the winner to be—"

" Ancient Art of the Elementals: HI-KOORI-TSUCHI!"

Bright light illuminated off in the distance. Nami was the first to notice the glowing object. She was the only one to see the giant glowing dragon made of light before it appeared before the group. A long curvy spinned dragon, long, made out of flames, with bright yellow eyes. Ontop of the glowing dragon was the meditating body of Yokai.

" WHAT?!" Everyone below yelled.

" W-wh-what is that?" Nami aghast, she was scared by the demonic face of the dragon.

" I excess my shards potentials," Yokai said, he remained calm and had his eyes closed. " You can either surrender or have my dragon swallow your luscious body whole.

" luscious body?" Supaiku thought. " Geez, even when fighting he can be a real lewd lecher."

Tears were sobbed from Nami's eyes. Nami collapsed, shaking, she collapsed on her knees. " I give up!"

Everyone was dumbfounded by Yokai's accomplishment. Supaiku however raised Sherry's flags in recognition of Yokai's victory. " The winner, Yokai!"

Yokai was weary. He had used much energy conjuring up three element attacks, using them to create a beast out of the three elements, and lost some energy when walloped by Nami's Bo staff.

" So," Fletcher said, realized just how weary Yokai was. " You were lying the entire time?"

" Sadly yes," Yokai answered, his voice was low from all the energy sapped out of him. " But at least we won, Captain Fletcher."

Fletcher and Yokai laughed together—Yokai was feeling his chest because of the sudden throbbing pain. Meanwhile, Sherry stopped nursing Christopher back to help and walked up to Supaiku to take her flag back from him.

" Okay, listen up!" Sherry called optimistically. " Let's start the third round! And the third round will be… Supaiku…Roronoa Zoro!"

Supaiku and the green bandana wearing man walked up to each other. Both Supaiku and Zoro took swords out of their arms and raised them in salute.

" Hey, they can't do that!" The long nosed man sassed. " The rules state we can't use weapons!"

" What do YOU call those staffs?" Dorobou replied on the ground rather lazily. " The rules: we can only use weapons that are the same. Both Yokai and the shemale used staff's—these guys are using katana's. Therefore, everything is fair."

" Shaddup," Supaiku retorted, brought another sword out his other arm.

Zoro and Supaiku circled each other, stepping side by side, laughing as they moved their swords. Zoro then used his mouth to drag another sword out of his hips and into his mouth.

" I see you use two swords," Zoro laughed, his voice was raspy by the sword in his mouth, crossed his two swords in his arms.

" Oh, I use more than two swords." Supaiku laughed, another katana sticked out his mouth. " I happen to be a master of a thousand swords. "

" BEGIN!"

Supaiku and Zoro were both circling each other. Both had three swords, one in both their arms and one in their mouths, and had zeal looks on their faces.

" LET's GO!" Both Supaiku and Zoro shouted.

The battle started; Supaiku and Zoro clashed their swords. Both swords connected, clashing each other off, sparks came out of the metal. Both Supaiku and Zoro jumped back. Zoro spinned around with his swords in his mouth and hoped to slash Supaiku by doing this, but Supaiku also spinned and bounced Zoro back.

Both Supaiku and Zoro recovered from their strikes. Supaiku was the first to smile, " You're the second coolest swordsman I fought; the first being a wolverine."

Zoro was the next to smile, " And defeating you will be perfect practice for when I fight a certain swordsman."

Supaiku and Zoro jumped towards each other, spinning around, clashed their swords against each other's and bounced back again.

" This fight is pretty boring," Fletcher thought. " Block, block, where's the action?"

" Spike Drill!"

" Santoryu!"

Multiple tips of small swords stucked out of Supaiku's arm. Zoro tightened his grip on all three of his swords. Fletcher could've sworn a white tiger aura was surrounding Zoro's body. Both Supaiku and Zoro ran up to each other—Supaiku was about to deliver his most triumphant attack—Zoro was about to unleash his most devastating attack.

Both Supaiku and Zoro's swords connected, white light glowed in between them, as it distracted the rest of the group from boredom.

The light around Zoro and Supaiku had faded. All the crewmates observing the battle were piped up, they finally got to see Zoro and Supaiku again, as they limply stood up.

Zoro smiled broadly, " I promise myself I wouldn't lose another battle until I faced him again."

Supaiku smiled broadly, " I promised myself to only fight swordsmen and one day become the number one swordsmen. So, if time goes where you and I will have to face each other for that title, well, I'll go all out."

Zoro and Supaiku both smiled one last broad, faint smile. Both Zoro and Supaiku both collapsed on the ground, face first, with Sherry raising both her flags up.

" Double Knockout! No winner! The score is Fletcher-1, Strawhats-0! The next battle will be Dorobou against…Usopp!"

Dorobou was asleep—he was in his own little world and couldn't hear anything going on around him. Christopher recovered from his injuries, got up, and kicked Dorobou. " Wake UP, you idiot!"

" Zzzzzzz…what?" Dorobou mumbled having just woken up from his sleep. " Ah, how long was I out?"

" FIVE FUCKING HOURS!"

" Oh, that long, eh? No wonder I feel so deprived. I didn't get enough sleep."

Every pirate fell comically back. Usopp and Christopher were the first ones to get back up. Christopher smacked Dorobou behind his head. " Next to Fletcher, you're the dumbest member of our crew!"

Dorobou ignored Christopher's remark. Dorobou got off the ground and reached the center of the field, as he was joined by Usopp.

Sherry raised both her flag's in the air, " Okay, according to ground rules: there can only be identical weapons allowed. Now, since you two use different types of weapons, I'm afraid I'm going to ask you to drop your weapons."

Usopp took out his slingshot and Dorobou took out his rock connected to a chain. Both Usopp and Dorobou studied their weapons, looked into each other's eyes, then dropped their weapons, unison, " We forfeit."

Sherry twitched her left eyebrow. She was confused with Dorobou's choice, however, raised both her flags in the air, " No score is Fletcher-1, Strawhats-0. The last battle will decide the outcome... Fletcher VS... Monkey D. Luffy."

Fletcher and strawhat boy Monkey D. Luffy prepared for their battle. Luffy did a few stretches; getting his aerobics ready. Fletcher turned into a birdman and did loops midair; he was getting his speed ready.

" The LAST battle will be between FLETCHER G. PERKMAN and MONKEY D. LUFFY! Let the BATTLE BEGIN!"

Meanwhile, the two other teams were talking amongst each other.

" So...you've practiced swashbuckling ever since you were a child?" Zoro said; had his arms crossed and was smiling. " What a coincidence—I practiced swashbuckling when I was a child as well."

" Sweet," Supaiku said, smiling. " Maybe we can have a rematch some time." Supaiku than sighed. " But not today. I am pooped."

" Yeah, regretfully, me too."

Yokai was talking to Nami. Her attention was diverted away from Yokai, she was upset, but her cheeks were blushing red, as Yokai and all her crewmates saw her exposed.

" So, have you considered whether or not you'll bear my child?" Yokai said.

" Why would I want to bear your child, asshole?" Nami retorted. " By the way, I noticed in our battle...you seemed to use that staff. Could you perhaps be a navigator?"

" Why yes. I see all the oceans, all the lands, the sky's, too the great beyond."

Nami's eyes dilated up. A sly expression was on her face, her eyes twinkling in the light, she turned around and clasped Yokai's hands. " I think I WILL bear your child! But only when you draw a map of the world!"

Dorobou and Usopp at the time were battling it out. Usopp pulled on his slingshot and projected multiple small rocks. Dorobou however evaded all rocks simply by sidestepping away from them.

" You're a MONSTER!" Usopp awed. " How'd you know where I fire?"

Dorobou came up to Usopp. Dorobou stuck his hand out, touched Usopp's chest, then pushed him back, saying, " I am a true sniper."

Christopher and Sanji were making food. Christopher put a wooden board on a stand over a burning fire. Christopher had a piece of raw meat simmering on the board. Sanji at the time was lighting a cigarette—Christopher noticed him and was very upset.

" HEY! You CAN'T smoke when COOKING!"

Christopher protracted his long thin tongue and threw Sanji's cigarette away. It wasn't until a few seconds Sanji took another cigarette out and lit it; Christopher protracted his tongue and threw it away again.

" Geez, you are such a killjoy."

Sherry was left out—she was the only one watching Fletcher and Luffy fighting. Fletcher grabbed Luffy's right arm before he could punch him, then pushed him back. Both Fletcher and Luffy got into their fighting stances.

" Gum Gum Pistol!"

" Wind...Scythe!"

A blade of wind came out of nowhere and moved straight towards Luffy. Luffy's right arm shot out and charged towards Fletcher. Both attacks clashed together, however, Fletcher's overpowered Luffy's attack, made a cut in his arm and made him retract.

"OWIE!" Luffy cried retracting his arm back. " Fletcher, that hurt!"

" It was SUPPOSE to hurt!" Fletcher shouted. " This is a dual, dammit!"

" These two are both morons," Sherry thought, kept wawtching Luffy and Fletcher battle. " Still, they're so strong. I wonder what rank I am in this pirate group?"

" I may be the judge of that?" A voice telepathically said; the voice of Yokai.

" Yokai? What the hell are you doing in my mind? When did you learn to read minds?"

" Oh, I've always had this talent. It's a skill my father had, but not my uncle. Sadly, it doesn't work on my opponents. Now, come back here, and I'll tell everyone their rank."

Meanwhile, Fletcher took to the sky, Luffy remained standing on the ground.

" Wind...Airjet!"

" Gum Gum Gatling Gun!"

A giant lance of wind surrounded Fletcher's body; he was dashing midair towards Luffy. Luffy's arms started flailing at an incredible rate—it almost looked like he had dozens of arms. Fletcher however turned right, and struck Luffy's rightside.

" YAY!" Fletcher laughed, his wind dispersed. " I hit LUFFY!"

" Gum...Gum...Bazooka!"

Fletcher was too overconfident too see it, but Luffy stretched both his arms far back, and then hurled them forward, striking Fletcher in his face. Fletcher fell down—Luffy got up.

" Gum Gum Whip!"

Fletcher regained some control, Wind...Tornado!"

Luffy stretched his leg out and prepared to strike while his opponent was down, however, a giant tornado surrounded Fletcher and Luffy was instead pushed aback.

" Gum Gum Balloon!"

Luffy's body inflated, stopping him from moving. Luffy breathed out and his stomach deflated. Luffy smiled, " You've gotten strong, eh, Fletcher. Me likey."

" Yeah, so have you, Luffy," Fletcher said. " Me likey."

" Gum Gum Net!"

Luffy entwined his fingers making a net like a shape and then stretched out his fingers making a larger net in an attempt to trap Fletcher. Fletcher's legs wouldn't budge—he was trapped under the net.

" Wind...Darts!"

Fletcher spinned around in circles, then became a massive ball of wind; unleashing small dart like projectiles cutting into Luffy's fingertips.

" YEOW!" Luffy cried.

Luffy moved his fingers back, Fletcher smiled, said, " Wind...Stampede!"

Fletcher formed a large circle with his fingertips pressed together. A gust of wind was blown; a large cat-like creature made of wind came out. The cat charged roared as it charged towards Luffy.

" Gum Gum Shield!"

Luffy grabbed the finger of one hand with the other, and stretched them before his face to block the claws of the creature.

The cat-like creature dispersed—both Fletcher and Luffy were tired.

" I gotta say... you've gotten strong, Luffy," Fletcher said, then panted.

" And you...are not the same runt me and Ace found."

" Who's the runt? I kicked your brother's ass, and you couldn't even touch him."

Meanwhile, Sherry watched in worry as Fletcher was panting; she never seen him so feeble before.

" Sherry, it's done," Yokai said.

Sherry turned around saw each and every member of both crewmates staring at the ground. She walked in the group and saw what they were reading:

Strawhat Pirates Rank:

1. Monkey D. Luffy

Strengths: Can stretch his body parts out and is a genius at battling.

Weaknesses: Is incredibly stupid, can't swim, and needs to eat something every ten minutes

Reasons for Rank: He is the captain, always taken down the strongest foes, and is extremely luck 2. Roronoa Zoro

Strengths: Has strong muscles, master of swordsmanship.

Weaknesses: Lazy, sleeps all day

Reasons for Rank: He able to cut through metal, can lift 50 Kg without getting tired, and is also extremely lucky.

3. Sanji

Strengths: Long legs, expert martial artist

Weaknesses: Is easily "whipped" by women

Reasons for Rank: He cooks the food, and is as strong as Zoro in his legs.

4. Usopp

Strengths: Snipping, excellent mechanic, fast

Weaknesses: A big chicken

Reasons for Rank: He's a gigantic pussy.

5. Nami

Strengths: Navigating

Weaknesses: Is ogled by too many guys

Reasons for Rank: Doesn't do anything but read and yell.

Unname Pirate Rank:

1. Fletcher G. Perkman

Strengths: Is stronger than a fishmen, can manipulate wind, fly.

Weaknesses: Can't calm the fuck down, biggest idiot,

Reasons for Rank: He is the captain, taken down many foes, can see into people's hearts

2. Yokai

Strengths: Can manipulate the elements, sees things far away, can read minds, a master with his staff

Weaknesses: Is a lecher.

Reasons for Rank: He is reliable and can beat nearly everyone.

3. Supaiku

Strengths: He is five times stronger than most humans, can fire swords out his body, is an excellent swordsman

Weakness: He's arrogant as he doesn't ask for help.

Reasons for Rank: He's the coolest member

4. Christopher

Strengths: Cooking, has a very long tongue, can unleash geysers of water.

Weakness: unknown, but can be a real prick to everyone but Supaiku.

Reasons for Rank: He makes our food and is as good as Sanji in martial arts.

5. Dorobou

Strengths: Strong enough to pick up a rock over 25 pounds and swing it with a chain, never misses a target

Weakness: He sleeps to long like Zoro.

Reason for Rank: He's strong, but he's too unreliable.

6. Sherry

Strengths: Can morph her body into three cat forms, her tongue creates stem cells, and her tail creates fur for a cast.

Weakness: Can't swim, isn't very powerful, gets a zing every time she's hit by a man.

Reasons for Rank: She's the weakest of us all.

Crew Rank Altogether

1. Fletcher&Monkey

&Supaiku

4. Sanji&Christophr

5. Dorobou

8. Nami

" Hey, how come I am LAST?!" Sherry shouted. " And how come YOU, Yokai is the second strongest overall?! Did you forge these results in your favor, Yokai?!"

" A monk doesn't feign himself." Yokai replied.

" A monk also doesn't try to kill someone," Supaiku said. " But you seem to do it again and again, Yokai. Anyways, he's telling the truth. We all voted him to be the second strongest."

Meanwhile, Fletcher and Luffy were limply walking up to each other. Both were smiling.

" Y'know, we used to be friends, Luffy," Ian smiled.

" Yeah, we were. But you want to be King of the Pirates? That's something I cannot allow."

" Wind...Blizzard!"

" Gum Gum Pistol!"

Fletcher threw feathers from his body to distract Luffy—he flew high into the air. The air grew cold, small drops of snow fell from the sky, as it breezed towards Luffy—Luffy was covered in the thick white snow. However, before Luffy was covered in snow, his arm extended and whalloped Fletcher in his face.

Sherry saw both Fletcher and Luffy defeated, she was shivering, raised her flag up, announced, " Double Knockout! The score is Flecher-1, Luffy-0! The victory goes to Fletcher!"

* * *

A man was having a glass of water in a tavern in RedVine. The man had dark blue hair, average in length. He has tan skin and is decently muscular, but not overly so. His eyes are sky blue. He is about 5'9". He was wearing sea green vest with white detailing. Skin tight black undershirt with sleeves. Black knee length pants. Blue and white sneakers. He was wearing a sapphire pendent in the shape of a trident around his neck.

The man chugged down a glass full of water—he felt a sharp knife sticking into his back.

" This is a Stick Up!" A obnoxious voice said. " Give me all your booze, or this guy gets cu-"

The blue haired man's body morphed into a puddle of water—so the knife had nothing to poke.

It was the man with the knife who felt something poking at him from behind, along with a arm wrapped around his neck, someone said, " The name is Nautilus O'Shawn. Don't-fuck-with-me."

Nautilus grabbed the man's head and bashed it against the countertop. Blood dripped from his nose, as Nautilus took a pouch clipped on his waist, and he tossed it to the bartender. " Here. This should cover his damages. If you'll excuse me...I'm off to find some friends."

* * *

Fletcher and Luffy's crew were all standing around Fletcher's ship. Yokai and Nami however were nowhere to be found. Fletcher affectionatly hug the handcrafted pelican head, wooing it, and kissed it.

" Oh, Gale, I'll never leave you again!" Fletcher laughed.

" Gale?" Everyone unison.

The feathers on Fletcher's body stood up, a growling noise was heard, and as Fletcher turned around, he beared his sharp teeth and sharp eyes.

" GRRRRRRRR! No-one-touches-Gale!"

" Who the fuck is Gale?" Dorobou said.

" I think Fletcher's talking about his boat," Supaiku said.

" You named your ship?" Christopher said. " Dumbass."

" I made IT! I can name Gale however I want! I named him The Green Gale!"

" The Green Gale?" Sherry said. " Sounds pretty retarded, but okay."

###

Meanwhile, Yokai had drawn a map of the world on the ground of the island. Yokai banged the hilt of his staff in recognition of his accomplishment.

" Nami, it's ready."

Nami walked up to the map with glee—she was clapping her hands together. However, Yokai raised his staff to her before she could see the map.

" What are you-" Nami said, interrupted by Yokai.

" I must first see whether or not you can bear my child." Yokai grabbed Nami's arms. Her cheeks were red—she still hated Yokai but noticed how warm his hands were. Yokai than let his hands go. " I am sorry, you're not adequate enough to bear my child. And since we have no deal—Ancient Art of the Elementals: HI!"

The red shard in Yokai's staff glowed bright red. Flames came out of Yokai's staff, streaming behind him, and made contact with the map.

" WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Nami stressed out as Yokai walked away.

" I sense this map was an ambition of yours when I touched you. Your life is full of tragedy, horror, and rough times, I don't think you can settle down. I am however a man of my word, and that map was only for you bearing my child. Good-bye, Nami-swan."

Nami crumbled up place mulch that used to be part of her map. Nami soon growled.

" I'm going to kill that ero-monk!"

###

It was time to cast off.

The Green Gale sailed off away from the island. Fletcher and all his crewmates were saying their good-byes: Supaiku, Christopher, Dorobou, Yokai. Sherry however just sat in the crow's nest.

Supaiku was waving good-bye to Zoro, " Let's battle again!"

Zoro raised one of his three katana's in salute, " To see who will become the world's greatest swordsman!"

Dorobou was waving good-bye to Usopp, " Sniping is like a muscle. Keep practicing, and eventually you'll get good at it!"

" Thanks. I will one day become a brave warrior of the seas!"

Christopher was waving good-bye to Sanji, then sticked his tongue out, teasing, " I'll find the All Blue before you!"

" Like hell you will!"

Yokai was waving good-bye to Nami who had her arms crossed. " I hope we can one day meet again, Nami. Remember, through the hardships, Hera guides our hand."

" Shaddup, ero-monk."

Fletcher was smiling as he waved good-bye to Luffy, said, " You were always like a brother to me, Luffy! Your family raised me! But... I'll still become King of the Pirates before you!"

" No, I'll become King of the Pirates!"

" Heh heh heh! "

The Green Gale cast off away from the island—Luffy and his crew were still waving good-bye.

Luffy was the first to stop, said, " There goes Fletcher; my step-brother, and now rival!"

###

Fletcher, Supaiku, Sherry, Dorobou, Christopher, and Yokai were all standing around the Green Gale's mast.

" Okay, let's all raise our hands to the mast, and then say our dreams," Fletcher said, he was the first one to raise his hand. " I will become King of the Pirates."

Supaiku was the next one, said, " To become the worlds greatest swordsman, and to marry Nico Robin."

Sherry was the next one, said, " To marry a strong or wealthy husband."

Dorobou was the next one, said, " To make a lot of money."

Christopher was the next one, said, " To find the All Blue."

Yokai was the last one, said, " To find a woman to bear my child. And to raise that child as well as my father raised me."

" We're the Animalistic Pirates." Everyone said in unison. " Our dreams; our goals; our life. We're together until the very end."


	16. Chapter 16

Fletcher's crew found their next island to port. It happened yesterday. After finally picking out a crew name to use they sailed towards the Grand Line. But the Grand Line was still days away from sailing even with Yokai's guidance. The crew had no choice but to rest for the night. If someone stirred the boat without touching the helm they could crash into a mountain. All of the male crew members and captain slept in hammock's together. Christopher was sleeping on top with his foot hanging down and Dorobou trying to eat it because he thought it was a juicy steak. Supaiku slept with his swords against his chest. And Fletcher slept like a bat hanging from the ceiling with bird talons on the ceiling and his ruffled Roc wings hugging his chest.

Sherry had her own bed. It was a futon with white sheets. Sherry wore pink pajamas with glasses of milk on the sleeves. Sherry got her own bed because she was a girl and girls were treated with loyalty on the Animalistic Pirates. Sherry cringed.

" No...No!"

###

Six year old Sherry was watching a puppet show. Sherry liked the puppet show. The man in charge of it was very funny; he was very handsome. Sherry's younger brother Denv was also having a very fun time watching the puppet show. But Sherry's sister Chantilly didn't find the puppet show all that amusing. Sherry's father Jyigo was watching the show. Jyigo was not the loquacious kind of man.

" I can't cry," a puppet on stage said.

Sherry loved this scene. There was a little teddy bear sitting on a high chair. The teddy bear looked sad. In a way the teddy bear reminded Sherry of herself. Sherry saw a human size doll move on stage. Sherry was so excited she couldn't stay on her seat.

" Why are you so sad, Geoff?" The human doll said.

" I'm so small," the teddy bear said. " No one looks at me. I'm just a little teddy bear."

" Are you really just a teddy bear? You're much more than a teddy bear. The taller kids have their height and you have your mind. You don't have to dwell in this persecution. You've cunning, and intelligent and have a love for broken things. So don't be sad. Be proud."

Sherry was so happy. She watched the teddy bear stand on his hair. The puppet on strings moved to the left and the right. It twirled in circles and the puppet and the mother danced together. Sherry imagined she was dancing in the show. But she wasn't dancing with a teddy bear. Sherry imagined she was dancing with the most handsome man in the world.

The puppet show ended. Two men and one woman came out and bowed. Everyone in the audience clapped their hands together. They loved it. Sherry told her father how she enjoyed the show. Jyigo reciprocated what Sherry said with a response of his own.

" Do you know why I take you to those puppet shows, Sherry? It's because these little bumpkins live a life no one wants. You will not follow them. You will become what I want you to be."

###

Sherry woke up. Her feet sifted through the wood like a beach of sand. Sherry rubbed her cat ears. They were sensitive to her touch. Sherry's throat was dry, so she walked into the bathroom and turned the faucet. Water didn't come out. Sherry turned the taps against but no water came out.

" Dammit," she said. " There's no water. How does Fletcher expect us to survive in this ship?"

Sherry wasn't a very friendly girl. Eight year old Sherry was innocent. Seventeen year old Sherry wished she still lived in that derelict tower. Even thought she resented her father and her older sister, they could actually feed her. An imminent attack could come at any time and the crew were totally unprepared for it. There was no vicinity for a humanoid like Sherry. Her cat ears and cat tails would scare any people who saw her. It enticed some men, but most of the time she was thrown out either as a woman or a house cat. Sherry didn't come out of them unscathed. Lots of times Sherry was hurt and abused. Sherry became a masochist from the pain of her family. Sherry tried not to think about that tragedy...until now.

" _I know he was only trying to teach me what I should do best, but why did she hurt her. She was my only friend. I know he's an evil man, but he's also my father. Why couldn't he just listen to me. He didn't have to smack me in the face. Or try to cut off my tail."_

Sherry took a deep breath in and exhaled. It was hot out today. Sherry could feel the heat on her cheeks and in her loins. She wondered how the rest of the crew were doing; as she walked to the deck she saw they were having a perfect time. Dorobou and Christopher were playing cards. Sherry didn't know why but they seemed to be in some kind of constant rivalry. The kind only two brothers have.

" Ha!" Dorobou laughed. " I have a full house! What do you have!"

" Gee, does that beat me. All I have are two pairs. A pair of One's and another pair of One's**— **wait, that means I win. Ooh, that's got to be the fiftieth time in a row."

" Smart ass."

Supaiku wasn't playing with anyone. As a matter of fact Supaiku was the only one doing something serious. He was holding two katana's out, with two more on his shoulders, and slashed the air around him. Sherry was sure this was a test to see if he could practice swinging his swords without letting any of the two katana's fall off. Supaiku succeeded in doing his dance without letting a single sword drop. Everyone in the crew would be closer to him, if his personality wasn't the same as a wet dish cloth.

Yokai was sitting next to the helm with Fletcher. Fletcher was stirring the helm. It came to a shock for Sherry because she didn't know Fletcher could do anything. She was sure that losing the ship once was too much for him. Sherry wasn't sure if Fletcher would ever leave the ship again.

" Good morning, Sherry," Fletcher said, a heartwarming smile was on his face as he giggled. " Did you have a nice dream?"

" I guess," she said, her face blushing at the sight of Fletcher's smile. Ever since that drunk night Sherry couldn't stand being around Fletcher. Every time she touched him her heart would hurt for some unknown reason. " Why are you stirring the helm, Fletcher?"

" Yokai said I should do it. It's easier for him to see where to go when I'm around, Yokai said."

" Alright. Do we have a coffee maker around here?" I can't even remember what day it is unless I have my coffee."

" Sorry, Sherry," said Fletcher. " We don't have any coffee. I thought you knew."

" I told you, I can't remember anything unless I have my cup of coffee. This is unfair, Fletcher. We need a coffee maker on this crew. We need a working water system, more food, and we don't even have cannons."

" What are you saying, Sherry?"

" I'm saying we don't have anything useful on this crew. We'll never be able to survive against a Marine attack."

" If you're really honorable pirates you will fight me one on one and I shall judge if you really deserve to fight at all."

" Sherry's right," Supaiku said. " Do you know how long we can last against the Marine forces? Less than five seconds. All they have to do is bombard us with their guns and artillery. What do we even have, Fletcher?"

" We have the wind on our side," said Fletcher.

" No. We have an idiot captain who can control wind. I'm serious, Fletcher. The only options we have is to keep sailing and hope to find an island or you can turn into that bird form of yours and find an island without drought we can sail to and pick fresh fruit from."

" But what if I get lost? I'm dyslexic and I don't have any sense of direction."

" Ah!" Yokai panicked. Something was crawling inside his brain. Yokai dropped his staff and rolled on the ground. " Get out of me!"

" What's wrong, Yokai?" Fletcher asked. " Are you feeling okay?"

" I think Yokai's hurt," Supaiku said. " Sherry, Fletcher, grab his arms."

Sherry and Fletcher did as Supaiku commanded and grabbed Supaiku's arms. Yokai was out of control. He smacked Sherry's arms away and tried to gnaw her hand off. Fletcher grabbed Supaiku's back and squeezed as hard as he could. Something was squirming inside Yokai. Fletcher could feel a small larvae moving around in Yokai's stomach.

" Wake up, Yokai," Fletcher said squeezing Yokai's stomach. " Wake up!"

" Fletcher..."

Yokai was even stronger than Fletcher. He grabbed Fletcher's right arm and twisted it. Fletcher screamed in agony as Yokai twisted his arm then pushed him into the mast. Fletcher recovered quickly and dashed towards Yokai, but a barrier appeared around Yokai. Fletcher punched his fist into the barrier. The barrier was not liable to break easily. Fletcher punched the barrier as hard as he could, sparks skidded off, but the barrier did not break. Yokai wasn't Yokai. Yokai's eyes glowed the color violet, nose grew longer and shaped angular, and Yokai's hands glowed green with small fireballs. Yokai became a Youkai. A Youkai was a devious, conning demon who brought carnage on every living soul.

**Nine pirates will separate**

**Ten pirates will be lost**

**A fathomable goal for two captains;**

**One born from the ashes of a green bird the other the most unlikely of heroes**

**Only five will grasp the helm...**

**Two will clutch the swords of one entity:**

**A reaper's blade and a dagger**

**The lost of a brother will bring out the stoutheartedness of the other's brother**

**A boy shall flutter to lose the life of one nakama but save the hearts of eight**

**When the man with the dreadlocks and two Devil Fruit's meets the son of abyss...**

**A Yonko will be the one to handle the egg of dynasty to the wielder of Hope**

Sherry didn't know what got into that weird, perverted monk. Either he was playing some kind of joke on everyone or he was having a vision of something yet to come. Yokai lost consciousness, his barrier faded around his body, and Yokai fell on the ground. The only one's not paying attention were Dorobou and Christopher. In an effort to show who was stronger Christopher and Dorobou had an arm wrestle. Dorobou pushed his hand with all his might. Christopher wasn't even moving a muscle but Dorobou's hand was not strong enough to move his.

" Fletcher, take Yokai to the sick ward."

Fletcher nodded his hand. Yokai was not light nor was he heavy. Being unconscious didn't make Yokai any lighter but didn't make him any heavier as well. Fletcher picked Yokai up to his right shoulder and prepared to carry him to the nursery. But suddenly a knife came down and nearly struck Fletcher's feet. Fletcher looked up and standing on the Crow's Nest was a ninja. The ninja wore purple clothes, a mask that covered his face with a giant shuriken between his eyes, and one katana in a scabbard tucked inside a belt. Fletcher didn't know who sent the ninja to fight him, but Fletcher was ready for him.

" I seek out a pirate with honor."


	17. Chapter 17

A man and a small girl who was sitting on the man's back were walking down the busy streets of Redvine. The girl was trying really hard to sing louder as it was being drown out by the all the noises.

"Daddy, how much longer?" The little girl asked as she stopped singing and stared down at the man who just lit up a cigar.

"Until I find the bounty I'm looking for my little pumpkin," The man said softly and in a caring tone as he exhaled smoke while he glanced around the area. "Then you and me can go get some ice cream to celebrate another successful hunt."

"Yay Daddy's the best!" The girl cheered with a large smile which made her father form a small smile.

###

In a tavern which is deep in the city of RedVine, a wanted man and his followers were helping themselves to a platter of everything which was completely free.

The tavern owner had a scared look on his face as he stared at the wanted man Gal Bloodstain, AKA Ripoff "Blood" and he's bloodthirsty crew.

Gal is a tall man with black hair that reaches his shoulders. pale skin and green eyes, like the color of the leaves in the spring. He is wearing a black T-shirt, white pants, green shoes that matching his eyes, five piercings in his left ear and one on his lip and a tattoo on his wrist saying; Life grows so grow with it.

"YO!" Gal suddenly shouted as he slammed his silver mug with beer on the bar's table which shook the bar owner " Get me and my boys another round, all free!" Gal ordered which made his crew roar out in drunken laughter.

"R-Right away Mr. Bloodstain" The bar owner stuttered in fear as he went to complete his order.

While Gal and his crew were laughing and having a good time the tavern doors opened and two figures stepped inside.

The first figure is a tall man who has well-toned muscles and is in his late twenties. He has dark skin, black eyes, Black dreads that reach his upper back, a small black pointy beard and a scar which runs across the right side of his chin and stops at the left side of his forehead. He is wearing a black kimono with white trims and has right side of his kimono open up which showed everyone watching his deep scars and a tattoo of the word "Yumi" over his heart, wooden sandals and bandages wrapped around his feet and left hand up to his elbow.

The man is carrying his right arm inside his kimono and has two swords on him. The sword attached to the right side of his waist has a white handle, a silver pendent tied to it handle and is inside a black sheath with a white vine pattern. His other sword which is attached to the left side of his waist has a blood red handle and is inside a white sheath.

The other figure is a little girl who is most likely his daughter. She has slightly tanned skin, black eyes and long black hair that stop at her shoulders. She is wearing a black sleeveless dress that reaches her knees, black boots, dark pink fingerless gloves that reaches her elbows, a pink bandana and a white cloak that hides her whole body.

"Who invited the old man and his daughter!?" Bloodstain laughed.

"Buwahahahha!" All of Bloodstain's men laughed along with him.

The man and his daughter ignored Bloodstain and his men and walked to the counter of the bar. They sat on the stools and looked the bar owner who his fear inside his eyes.

"We'll have one Lemonade and one milk" the man ordered as he lit up a cigar.

"Ah...right away, sir." The bar owner said as he ducked down and opened a cupboard door to a small convenient refrigerator which was hidden under his counter. While he was attentively searching for a bottle of lemonade and carton of milk, Gal walked up to the counter and smashed his fist near the man.

"This ain't no place to be bring your kids to you damn geezer," Gal said snidely "Why don't you take your daughter and get the fuck outta here!"

"He appears to be all brawn and no brain. The girl thought as she glanced at Gal then her dad who's hand was almost snapping the edge of the counter in anger If this idiot want's to live he better walk away now

"You know, it's not good to swear around children Mr Gal Bloodstain," The man said calmly which made Gal get in his face.

"If you know who I am then you know what I do to bounty hunters?" Gal asked as he pulled out a pocket knife and pressed it against the man's cheek which made his blood slowly trickle out "And their snot nosed little brats" Gal said with a small smirk as he pointed his pocket knife at the girl.

"If you want to live move that rusty blade you call a knife away from her" The man said with a small growl of anger.

"What are you gonna do if you don't?" Gal asked as he moved the knife closer the girl and pressed the knife against her cheek which made her blood slowly trickle out.

The sound of bones breaking could be heard which made Gal's men, the bar owner and Gal himself stare in shock as the arm Gal was using to hold the knife was bending at a unusual angle while his blood dripped to the ground.

"AHHHH!" Gal screamed out in pain as he dropped to his knees and clutched his broken arm.

"You hurt our leader!" One of Gal's men shouted in anger as they got out of their seats and quickly surrounded The man and little girl.

"We'll kill you!" Another one of Gal's man shouted as they pulled out their swords and rushed the man which made the bar owner look away in fear.

"Don't touch my Daddy!" The little girl shouted in anger as she jumped of the stool and over the now slightly shocked crew. "Orchid spine!"

The little girl shouted as she pulled two silver Sai which were attached to her legs and span around before she dashed through the small mob and stopped in front of her father who gave her a proud smile as he picked her up and put her down on the stool before he wiped away the small patch of blood on her cheek.

Gal's crew suddenly collapsed to the ground and tried to stand up but couldn't.

"What did you do to us you little bitch!" One of Gal's men shouted which made her father stab his cigar into his face which made him scream out in pain before he passed out.

"She just destroyed sections of your spinal cords which means you guys are now paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of your lives" The man said in a uncaring tone as the bar owner handed them their drinks.

"The Money is on the floor" The little girl said as she and her father finished their drinks before they started to leave "You can keep the change"

"G-Gal I...remember... who... those.. people...were" The member of Gal's men who got burned.

"Who was that bastard!?" Gal growled in anger before he snapped his arm back into place which shocked his crew "I want to know the name of that bastard and his snot knows brat right know!"

"He's called Victor L Grim or as the people who are lucky to survive a encounter with him the Demonic Hunter" A voice said which made Gal turned around to see Dartz sitting down at Gal's table while drinking from Gal's mug with a small grin on his face "And he's beautiful little girl is called Maria or The Devil's helper if you like" Dartz said as he stood up and walked over to Gal with a slightly crazed smirk on his face "I have a little proposition for you"

###

Victor was walking towards the town's local resort because Maria wanted him to relax after the encounter with Gal and his crew. Victor was holding a wanted poster in his hand with a small smirk on his face.

Wanted Dead or Alive: Yokai the "Elementalist"

Bounty: 14,000,00 Beli

" So you finally got yourself a bounty huh Yokai" Victor said as he glanced at the picture of Yokai who was holding his staff with a angry look on his face while all the gems glowed while he was surrounded by Marines. It's not like his father but at least it's a start

"Yokai is still cuter than the last time we saw him" Mary said with a slightly blushed cheeks as she finished off her ice cream.

"What did I tell you about saying those kinds of things around me" Victor said with annoyance and slight anger in his voice as he glanced up at his daughter "You're only seven years old which means your too young to be hanging out with boys his age"

" Aw dad, don't be so critical about everything." Maria said with a small giggle as she knew her father was just being protective and cared about her well being.

"Anyways, we're going to bring him in for his bounty, and that's that." Victor said as they stopped at the entrance of Redvine's resort "Now why don't you go relax while rest in their garden?"

"Okay Daddy" Maria said as she kisses him on his cheek before she jumped off his back and walked inside while Victor went around the side of the resort.

###

Marines were scared seeing Vein the Vampire and his firstmate Akane.

His firstmate is a woman, has beautiful long red hair. She wears short sleeved shirts that are neon-colors. Akane is very tall, measuring 5'10" and 110 pounds. She was wearing short-shorts and plain blue shirt.

Vein stood over a groveling Marine. " P-Please let me LIVE! P-Please...have mercy!"

" Mercy?" Vein asked as he reached to his hips for one of his two katanas. "Why should I give mercyto a sinner like you?" Vein asked as he drew one of his katanas which made a look of fear appear on the Marine's face " Good-bye...Admiral Kamehatsu."

"Wait stop!" The Marine screamed out as he watched Vein swing his katana at him.

Vein's katana was covered in blood he examined Admiral Kamehatsu's decapitated head before he licked away the blood.

Vein sheathed his now clean Katana then took a apple out of his left sleeve and threw it to Akane.

"Remember, we work our hardest; we can do whatever we want." Vein told her as he glanced down at the dead Marine Admiral.

The apple in Akane's hands suddenly transformed into a bowl of cherries. Akane took one cherry out and removed the stem before she threw the cherry in her mouth and swallowed with a small smile.

"Thank you, Captain Vein," said Akane as she glanced at the wall with a small scowl "By the way what are you going to do about those five people watching us?"

Vein glanced at the wall besides him and scowled before he glanced at Akane.

" Tell Leroy, Sonia, and Erik I'm going to be a while" Vein said as he turned to face the wall "And tell them how much I love them."

" Aye Aye, Captain." Akane said as she started to walk away.


	18. Chapter 18

I WANT TO GO WITH YOU DADDY!" Maria shouted as she clinged on to her father's legs.

"I said No!" Victor retorted in slight annoyance as he stared at his daughter while he struggled to shake her off his legs but she only hanged on to him tighter.

Victor ignored the additional discomfort before he muttered something under his breath and poked Maria in the back of her neck which made her let out a silent gasp of shock before she fell backwards but her father caught her and took her into the Redvine Ice cream shop.

"Look after her for me and make sure she doesn't leave no matter what," Victor said to the owner who gave him a slightly frightened nod as he knew of Victor's reputation.

Victor took a cigar and lit it before he took a long drag on it then exhaled some smoke with a tired sigh as he left the Ice cream shop with a hard look on his face. He walked down the street and he saw four figures at the end of the street which he knew by reputation.

" Yumi... our daughter gets her stubbornness from you" Victor thought as he walked towards the four figures.

###

The blue-haired boy looked into the amber eyes of Vein–yes, eyes that petrified anyone who stared into them and the boy was no exception. The boy did however hear three stories about Vein the Vampire: how he's killed everyone he didn't like, has claws sharp enough to cut through anything and that he only showed remorse to his crew mates and that he scorned the weak.

" P-Please have mercy, Vein!" Nautilus cried in fear as the half vampire locked eyes with him which seemed to burn his very soul.

" What is your name?" Vein asked.

" N-Nautilus. Nautilus O Shawn."

Nautilus stared in silent shock as the half vampire Vein was crying.

" Y-Your heart... it beats so gently. Yet, I feel something troubling in your past..." Vein said as tears slowly rolled down his face- before he scratched into his right arm which made a small drop of blood oozed out-before he took it pressed it against Nautilus's tongue.

Nautilus gained a look of utter shock as he gasped at the grotesque taste of Vein's blood soaking into his tongue.

" It looks like you're not meant to be part of my crew," Vein sighed as he expressed grievance. " Oh well, I'm sure I'll find a Logia user who has your kind of heart."

Nautilus began to spit on the ground as he tried to get the taste of Vein's blood out of his mouth. When that didn't work he proceeded to wipe the blood off.

"How do you know I've eaten a Devil Frui-" Nautilus began to asked before Vein's right claw flashed in the darkness before it ripped through Nautilus chest.

However, instead of blood pouring out and covering Veins hands water poured out and made a small puddle. The water stopped pouring out before it solidified and returned back into Nautilus shirt and skin.

" A normal human being would've died from blood loss a few seconds ago while any other devil fruit user wouldn't survive that even if they've eaten a armor type devil fruit"

Nautilus could feel his sweat roll down his face, his mouth started to get dry no matter how much liquid he formed inside his mouth to get the stench of Vein's blood out and his temperature was boiling.

Nautilus was starting to feel very uncomfortable as he stared into the sadistic eyes of Vein.

" W-Who are you?" Nautilus stammered in fear as Vein suddenly tightened his grip on his face.

"Me?"Vein asked as his eyes shriveled back to normal and gained a look of apprehension "I am a Monster"

###

Akane finally reached all three of her pirate comrades.

There was Leroy with his short jet black hair, tan skin, extremely muscular with body scars showing lots of battle experience, slight beard and mustache. He wore a black trench coat and teared blue jeans.

Sonia was with her long black hair (reach her waist), pale skin, and blue eyes. She wore a white tank top, black short pants, back sandals and a purple jacket.

Erik walked casually besides them. Eyes are dark violet. Hair reaches his nose and swerves to his ears. The sides of his hair is straight down to his neck, and the back is to the end of his neck. He was Wearing a tattered gray scarf and goggles on his neck. A worn dirty cape that covers his left shoulder. Wears a tight black shirt with sleeves to his elbow and wears tape(bandages) throughout his arms, but do not cover his fingertips. A gray jacket that is torn. Tight jeans that become more loose as they get to his ankles, then bandages reach his feet, and he wears sandals. Very quiet and secluded. Women love him but he does not care, all he cares about is discovering where he came from and why he can't remember anything about his past. A rose tattoo covers his neck that extends into bones.

"Well look who it is" Leroy said with a smirk as he stared at the smoking figure who was walking towards them "The demonic hunter Victor L Grim" Leroy said as he walked over to Victor "Or should I say temporary Nakama"

"Leroy I know you want a rematch so lets get started" Victor said as he put out his cigar and drew his white katana.

"You haven't changed at all Victor," Leroy said with a small grin as his left arm up to his elbow was replaced with a long katana blade before he dashed towards Victor with fast speed, and they started to block each other's attacks perfectly.

Victor swung his katana towards Leroy's right shoulder but he brought his sword arm up and blocked it before he pushed Victor's sword upwards then tried to slash him across his throat but stopped inches as his sword arm was digging into the handle of Victor's white katana as he held the katana by the blade before he pulled his handle out of Leroy's blade arm, and he grabbed the handle and thrust his katana towards Leroy's face who had a grin on his face as he caught the blade between his three blade fingers.

"Their both easily matched when it comes to swords so this fight is getting boring to watch," Sonia said with a pout as they watched Leroy throw Victor's sword down towards the ground before he thrust his three blade fingers towards Victor's face, but he quickly blocked it with his black katana then skidded back as Leroy started to push against it "I want to fight him next" "You shouldn't doubt Victor's sword style, Sonia" Akane said with a smile as she watched Victor lock his black blade in between Leroy's blades before he stabbed his sword into the ground and used the handle as a stepping stone so he could jump over Leroy and slash his white katana at his which made him gasp in slight pain as he turned his blade arm back to normal."Or have you forgotten that he was able to go toe to toe with Captain Vein when he's serious?"

"You should drop that sword while you still can" Victor said as he sent sword swipes at Leroy which he barely blocked.

"Why should I?" Leroy asked before he stumbled back with a look of utter pain on his face as his right ear fell from his head and on to the ground which shocked Sonia, Erik and definitely Leroy.

"I went to block the attack but the sword didn't move!" Leroy thought as he stared at the black katana which made him shake with fear as he could feel a dark presence emitting from it "How the hell is he able to wield such a sword!?"

"Because it will turn on the user if he or she is not able to accept death into their heart" Victor advised as he sheathed his katana and held his hand out "So give me back my blade before me and my sword ends your life friend"

"Fine" Leroy simply said as he handed the sword back to it's owner before he swung his blade arm towards Victor's chest, but he effortlessly block it with his black katana then slid it down Leroy's blade arm which made sparks fly into his eyes so he shut them tight which allowed Victor to release his sword and roundhouse kick Leroy in the left side of his head which sent him tumbling down the street while Victor caught his sword with his other hand and dragged it along the ground as he sprinted towards Leroy.

Leroy landed in a hand stand then pushed of his hands and made spikes jet out of his feet so he could stop himself from tumbling any farther before he grinned at the sprinting Victor and made a lance come out if his palm before he thrust it towards Victor who span to the side while blood came out of the cut on his cheek as he sheathed his black katana and put his hand on his white katana handle.

"Ittoryu Iai Mountain Slash." Victor said as he dashed towards Leroy.

"Why do you keep on using the same old moves?" Leroy asked as he replaced his lance with a shield but stared in shock as Victor disappeared from his view.

"I use them because they work best for me" Victor said from behind Leroy which made him glance behind him to see Victor inches away from his back while he had his hand on his white katana.

"Ittoryu style Torn Valley" Victor said as he drew his white katana.

" I guess he wins this round," Leroy thought as he could feel Victor's blade dig in and out of his body at a rapid pace before he heard him sheath his sword. "Erik it's your turn," Akane said as they watched Leroy crash into the ground face first.

"Alright" Erik said as he threw his hands forward before two dumpsters flew towards Victor who slice them to pieces. Victor sprinted towards Erik who pulled his arms towards his body before dumpsters, lamp posts, gutters, manholes and anything else metal slammed into him and started to warp around his body. The metal formed a suit of armor around Erik, and Erik threw a punch towards Victor who jumped over it.

"Ittoryu style Skeleton separation" Victor said as he brought his sword down on the right side of Erik's armor before he screamed out in pain as Victor's sword was stopping at the right side. Erik pulled it out and watched all the blood gush out while the armor fell apart.

"Sonia it your-" Akane began to say but stared in silent shock as a bloody Leroy and Erik flew towards them. Akane jumped over Erik and landed before she heard a female scream so she glanced behind her to see Leroy and Sonia tumble-down the street and smash into a nearby building.

"I guess it's just me" Akane said to herself as she picked up two tree branches "Henko, Henko No Swords" Akane said before the two branches transformed into twin katanas.

Akane stared in silent shock with a dumbfounded look on her face as she watched Victor walk away.

"Where are you going?" Akane as she stared at the Demonic hunter's back.

"I don't fight children" Victor said as he put his right arm back into his kimono which made Akane glare.

"Why not!" Akane shouted as she slashed her swords at Victor who easily dodged the blades with a bored look on his face.

"Because Children can't give me a satisfying battle," Victor said as he quickly drew his sword and slashed it upwards which made Akane stumble back as blood gushed out of the wound that started at her chest and stopped at her left shoulder while her two swords snapped in half and transform back into tree branches. "Now I'll make this next strike painless"

Akane watched as she saw Victor change his grip on his sword before he swung it at her in a upwards motion which made close her eyes and wait for the attack to come.

When it didn't come Akane opened her eyes in shock to see a Lamp post blocking and pushing back Victor's sword which made Akane glance behind her to Erik lying on his front with a small pool of blood around him as he shakily held his left arm out.

"S-Sonia... do...it...now... Erik said before he passed out which made the lamp post drop to the ground.

"Controlling Gaze!" Sonia shouted, she jumped over Akane and headbutted Victor in his face which made him take one step back from shock of a sneak attack before Sonia grabbed onto his hair so she could force him to look into her glowing red eyes.

"Now stab yourself in the stomach" Sonia ordered before Victor span his blade around and stabbed himself in the stomach which made him gasp out in pain as he stood on shaky legs.

"Do it again but deeper" Sonia asked before Victor pulled his sword all the way out which made him grunt in pain before he dropped to one knee as his handle was sticking half way out of his stomach.

"Now leave that sword in and use the your other one to kill yourself" Sonia ordered as she watched Victor draw his black katana and pointed it at his heart but didn't push down.

"I gave you an order! Do it!" Sonia shouted as she glared at Victor while her eyes glowed brighter.

"I can't do that," Victor said as he slowly moved his right hand out from his kimono and grabbed his white katana handle.

"Why not!?" Sonia asked as Victor slowly pulled out the bloody katana.

"Because this is a death not worthy of a serious swordsman!" Victor snarled as he glared at Sonia who shook with utter fear as she locked eyes with Victor while he yanked his sword out of his stomach while Sonia's eyes stopped glowing "Nitoryu style Reaper Cross!" Victor snarled as he slashed his white katana downwards and his black katana sideways before he glared at Sonia who screamed out in pain as a blood cross appeared on her upper body before she collapsed against the ground.

"And Twin Dragon Arrows!" "Henko, Henko No Snakes!" Both Victor and Akane shouted at the same time before Victor swung his swords upwards which sent two roaring dragon heads towards Akane who threw four cobra snakes at him.

The four snakes bit Victor's neck, both his arms and stab wound while the two dragon heads smashed into Akane which made her spit out blood before she was sent flying down the street and into a house.

The snakes suddenly transformed into rope before Victor dropped his swords and collapse to the ground face first.

_" Damn it those snakes toxins must've struck my nerves first before finishing off it's victim."_ Victor thought in annoyance as he tried to move his body but couldn't _"Come on how can I embarrass Yumi and Maria like this!" Victor thought in anger as he continued to try and move his body._


	19. Chapter 19

Pain, agony, despair, all those emotions was coursing through Nautilus's head as Vein tightened his grip. Right when Nautilus's head was burning red from the pressure Vein released his grip on him and he fell down.

" Oi, that really hurt!" Nautilus shouted as the pain started to leave his head.

" I just don't have the will to kill someone like you," Vein said with tears starting to roll down his face "Now if you'll excuse me, I have my precious crew mates to return too." With a swish of Vein's long silver hair, a scoffing noise through his mouth and a short glance at the groveling body of Nautilus Vein took off in the other direction.

" W-Wait," Nautilus gasped out as he began to slowly stand up" Your hair is so fabulous!"

Vein flinched with shock and surprised before he turned his head back and glanced at Nautilus "I beg your pardon?" Vein asked.

" I said your hair is fabulous! You gotta let me have some!" Nautilus said with a huge smile "Let me go get some scissors and take a lock of your wonderful hair!"

" Ummm... I don't think that would be a good idea." Vein said as he turned to face Nautilus then grinned at what he saw. Nautilus right arm transformed into water before it was replaced with giant scissors. Nautilus hand came out of the handle and took hold of the scissors.

"I bet you want the name of the devil fruit which allowed me to survive your attack and make this?" Nautilus asked as he shut and opened up his scissors "It's called the Kami no Fukusugata Sui Sui no mi Fruit it allows me to create, control and become water" Nautilus said with a grin.

Vein tilted his head right and glanced into the gallant eyes of Nautilus before he smirked. "It's been a while since I've spared against a worthy opponent" Vein said as both his katanas ominously levitated out of their sheathes and into Vein's hands.

"Now show me what you've got" Vein said before he watched Nautilus lunge towards him with a jet of water coming out of his feet.

Nautilus may've been somewhat immortal but he wasn't prevailing because Vein was a worthy adversary.

Nautilus did numerous attempts to cut Vein in half with his scissors but the vampire would always disappear, reappear then attack Nautilus from behind or the side but that didn't do anything except make water fly around everywhere while he form back whatever part of him was missing.

For the fiftieth time, Vein struck Nautilus, but this time came up to his ear and whispered, " Gaea."

" What?" Nautilus asked before he turned around and went to cut Vein in half but cut the air because Vein was standing far away from him and was giving him a coldly look.

Nautilus was confused about what Vein just whispered to him but then smiled and took out an ivory hand harp studded with sapphires and decorated with scenes of mermaids, fish, and the very ocean.

" I believe that was a gift from your grandmother?" Vein said nonchalantly.

" That's right," Nautilus also said nonchalantly.

"I also believe you're an Polytheistic?" Vein asked. (AN: a Polytheistic is a person who believes in multiple gods)

" I am" Nautilus said with a nod.

" And your dream is to make many friends?" Vein asked.

" But I have a hard time doing that, yes." Nautilus said with a small frustrated look on his face.

" Let me be honest with you, Nautilus" Vein said with a smile but as if an arrow struck him his smile turned into an angry snarl. "I hate this world!, Everything about it makes me sick!, You humans!,The flowers!, The trees! The ocean!, Everything here wreaks!" Vein ranted in anger but his snarl instantly turned back to a smile. " But there is just one thing I cherish, my loyal crew."

" So your crew is basically your friends?" Nautilus asked.

" That's right" Vein said with a nod "They'll do whatever I ask, whenever I ask, and it's all because I show them my kindness and affection." Vein said before he began crying. " T-They d-deserve better than me, but this world is filled with nothing but sinners and weaklings, and all those who fail to see their stupidity deserve to die—"

" No, that can't be true!" Nautilus shouted back to Vein. "Nobody deserves to die! Every piece of life is precious!"

Vein stopped crying and smiled before he said "When, and only when I'm able to become a normal human-being…my voice will reach these people like bats to blood. I shall remove people of their sins, ambitions, and make sure to only allow those who're pure and hard working to survive" Vein said.

" But do you really think…someone whose killed marines could possibly be …pure" Nautilus said.

Vein laughed with a smirk then replied " I-I have no idea what you mean. I'm a messenger sent to deliver my masters acts of redemption." Vein closed his eyes "And I…" Vein said as he opened his now strong, ambitious eyes, and showed how the amber color became red. " I shall become the ruler of this new world!"

###

Alexander had assembled all his marines and were standing in a straight line, arms too their sides while forming a turtle, and each one staring at the almighty Alexander.

" Today we fight one of the most wanted pirates in the world," Alexander reputed too all of his marine brethern. " For too long we've watched many brave marines be sent to the gallows by this cold-hearted monster! Well today we are going to show this monster exactly what we can do! We are going to find him and sever his arms, legs and his head to make him pay for his crimes!"

" YES SIR!" All the marines unison in applause.

" I leave command of you over too one of our most qualified marines, Patricia Adams."

Alexander backed away and a new woman took his place. Patricia the woman was quite tanned, with kinda long, messy dark brown hair which covers her eyes so wears a green headband. She has bright gray eyes. She was wearing loose and little bit too long dark blue jeans, the bottom covering a lot of her white wore the typical marine uniform with a long silver chain around her neck. She carries a long sword, nearly the size of her, attached to a strap which she wears over her shoulder.

" Thank you for that warm, encouraging speech, Alexander. Now let me start off by saying how weak this pirate is. He thinks just by killing he's some type of ingenious criminal? We will lock him in the most confided prison and watch him as he DIES!"

" YES MA'AM!"

" Men, too arms! March!" Patricia shouted before all the marines entered the town.

###

Vein believed all Nautilus's attempts too hit him were futile. So far Vein was impressed by Nautilus's bold attitude, but was embarrassed by how ineffective his attacks were too him. Vein just had to effortlessly sway his claws as Nautilus attempted to jab him with a trident solidified of water.

" I want to know what drives you too fight," Vein said coldly while stopping another one of Nautilus's futile jab.

Nautilus however didn't seem to pay any attention to Vein as he tried another time to jab him with his three-pointed trident.

Nautilus tensed up, exclaimed, " I fight because I choose too!"

Vein tripped Nautilus as he was bored of him. Nautilus fell on the ground, then felt Vein's foot press against his back.

" Look, you're young and you're reckless. There's so much planned for you. But if you keep interfering with my plans I will be forced to kill you."

" Y-you can't stop ME!"

" Oh yeah?" Vein raised his claws up as the color of them soon molded too a dark red. " See this? This here is my claws. If I wanted too I could scratch you with these claws and absorb all of your energy. But I think a man as bold as you deserves an honorable defeat." Vein disappeared, reappeared as he was 2 ft away from Nautilus and raised his claws molded white up. " So fight me with everything you GOT!"

" Fine! Dance, Water, Dance!"

Nautilus's body became surrounded in a giant spiral of water. It was then that four water clones of Nautilus leaped out of the spiral and glared at Vein. Two of Nautilus's clones walked closer towards him while the other two clones stayed behind to protect their master.

" That's a unique trick you've got there...Nautilus, is it?"

" Yes it is."

" I'm curious to see just how well these clones of yours can fight against a worthy opponent like me. Maybe I should see for myself."

Vein disappeared, reappeared behind the front clones of Nautilus and slashed through the waists with his claws. The drops of water which dripped from the clones were then sucked into Vein's fingertips in a vortex of red energy.

Vein was angry from defeating the clones, shouted, "What type of fool do you take me for?"

" What?"

" You're just stalling for time until the marines arrive! Why else would you use such weaklings?"

" Honestly, I don't know what you're talking about. You're just a very strong opponent.

" Would you like to see some poetry?"

Blood dripped from Vein's fingertips. Vein soon raised his fingers up and wrote in cursive in the air; all the letters were floating:

It's day

Morning to Dark,

the shroud of the body under the light,

twilight

The letters of blood then vanished in thin air. Vein stared coldly at Nautilus as he stared aghast into Vein's cold eyes.

" You can't mean-"

" Stay right where you are, pirate!" The sound of a marine was heard. " We have you surrounded, and there's no chance you can escape."

Marines charged and surrounded Vein as well pointing their automatic-rifles right at him. One marine who was a female named Patricia Adams with brown hair put a blanket over Nautilus's shoulders.

" Kid...are you alright?" The woman said in a caring voice. "That Vein bastard must've had some sparring practice with you too get you this shook up. It's okay now. The nightmare is over."

" No!" Nautilus feared in thought. " These people have no idea they've just walked right into a dead zone! This Vein fellow is going to kill them all!"

At the time one marine was pointing the small blade of his rifle against Vein's forehead.

" Whattcha going to do now, huh?" The marine snide while pressing his blade deeper against Vein's cheek. " You've got nowhere to run! We're dragging your bitch-ass over too the slammer! Whattcha have too say about that?!"

" I just have one question," Vein said nonchalantly and then spun his head towards the marines face as he held a human looking heart up. " Is this yours?"

" A-ack!"

The marine looked down at his chest to see a big hole was ripped open and small drops of blood were squirting out. The marine died instantly.

" I thought so."

" Hey!" Another marine exclaimed. " YOU FILTHY PIRATE!"

The sound of a bullet being fired was heard behind Vein. The bullet didn't hit Vein as his quick reflexes raised one of his two katana's up and sliced the bullet in two.

" SHIT!" The sound of many marines was heard.

Vein crept up closer to the marine with the gun still in his hand. The marine groveled, desperately threw his gun away, then bowed on the ground.

" I am your slave!" The marine cried out of anxiety. " Please spare me, and I will forever follow you as you sail the seas, er, Captain Vein."

Vein didn't reply to the marine at first. Vein instead used his two middle fingers as fingers, swayed, colliding against each other, and then he put the two fingers on both sides of the marines neck.

" I would never allow a sinner to be on my crew. But don't worry." Vein pressed his fingers harder into the marines neck; drops of blood dripped out. " Your soul shall rest in peace. Good-bye...Mr. Marine."

Vein decapitated the marine as both his fingers pressed together, in a fast motion, the marine's neck was cut off like it would from hedge clippers.

" OI! SHIT!" Every male marine exclaimed in unison.

" This is unbelievable!" One of the marines shouted.

" Holy Crap!" Another one of the marines shouted.

" I've gotta get out of here!"

The most scared marine made a desperate attempt to leave the area. However, Patricia grabbed his collar and pulled him back before he could escape. She then raised his face up too hers.

" Where do you think you're going, rookie?" Patricia Adams asked in a rhetorical voice. " I don't care how strong he is. You'll fight until the day you die. So get out there and fight!"

" Y-yes si... I mean ma'am!"

The cowardly lone marine jumped the rest of his brethren at facing Vein. Each of the marines were terrified of his amber eyes, they all raised their rifles up and pointed the tips towards Vein.

" This is your last chance, Vein the Vampire," The marine with the strongest voice said. " Surrender yourself too us, or have the consequences."

Vein continued to stare at the majority of marines, raised one eyebrow up, said, " Screw off."

" You had your CHANCE! Men, relay, open fire!"


	20. Chapter 20

The dozens of marines fired multiple bullets towards Vein as the sound of their shutters were heard. However, Vein moved faster than their eyes could keep track of and grabbed the flying bullets before any could touch him.

" Wow," Nautilus awed as he watched Vein catch the bullets. " If he wasn't so cold maybe I'd want to join his crew instead of the Strawhat Pirates. Too bad I don't want to be with someone who only thinks about killing sinners. Does type of people make me sick."

Vein finally caught the last of the marines bullets. Then one by one he took one bullet out of his hands and through each one so fast they were travelling over 500 miles per second. Each and every one of the bullets Vein through went directly through a marines head and killed him.

" HELP!" One of the marines shouted. " Vein the Vampire is going KILL U-"

A bullet came into contact with the marine shouting he was one of the last ones too die. Soon the only thing left was Nautilus, Vein and dead corpses of once hardworking marines with bullets from their own guns in their heads.

" Pity," Vein said coldly to the marines. " They were all so weak. I would've allowed them to leave if they had the brains too. Now they're all dead."

" I wouldn't be so sure about that, you psycho!"

Vein spun his head to the left and saw Patricia Adams standing before him with his very own katana's in her hands. Vein doubled checked to make sure his katana's were still with him, but found that were indeed stolen from him.

" Aren't you a little too impertinent for your own good?"

" You can't hurt me!" Patricia Adams shouted. " I've eaten the Dowo Dowo no Mi fruit. I can swipe anything from someone no matter where you hide it or how heavy it is as long as I'm close too my target." The female marine tightened her grip on Vein's swords, raised them up high, yelled, " DIE!"

Patricia Adams made a bold attempt to slice Vein with his own sword, however couldn't as the blade just stopped as it was close to Vein's nose.

" Cut!" Patricia Adams yelled in frustration. " Cut, cut, cut, CUT! Why won't you cut anything?"

" I only serve Captain Vein," An eerie voice said inside of Vein's katana. " I will serve no one else, even if Captain Vein were to die, he's the only one worthy of me; I will especially not go for a fool like you!"

The katana's in Patricia Adams hands flew out and went back to Vein. Vein caught the swords and sheathed them besides his waist.

" It appears you aren't as cunning as you fooled yourself too believe, Mrs. Patricia Adams."

" OI! How does he know my name?"

" I'm terribly sorry, but until a second ago your heard was pure, now I'll have to kill you for the crime of stealing. So sorry, but I have an image to protect." Vein raised his left claw up, as the fingernails on his claws molded too a bright red color, said, " Farewell...Mrs. Patricia Adams!"

" AHHHH!"

Vein made an attempt to claw at Mrs. Patricia Adams and erase her from existence. However, before he could touch her Nautilus jumped in the path of his claws and took the fall for Patricia Adams. Nautilus managed to stop Vein's claws from touching anyone by using his trident as a shield.

" Is that really all you got?" Nautilus mocked while using his trident as a shield to which the center began to crack open.

" I can always do better."

Nautilus's trident soon dispersed into a puddle of water. As the rain was falling Nautilus and Vein stared into each others eyes, and neither of them could seem to remember the female marine standing behind Nautilus.

As Patricia Adams knew she was outmatched—witnessed beforehand the powers of the mighty pirate Vein—decided to sneak away into the darkness and try to find recruitments who would help her.

" I warn you, don't make me exert all of my powers,"Nautilus warned.

" I'm sorry, I don't think you seem to understand, I'm the one with all the power," Vein replied nonchalantly.

" And I should warn you this next attack is so strong it could destroy an entire island with one blow." From the ground, air, buildings water seemed to be gushing towards Nautilus's body. Vein nonetheless paid it no mind as he had no fear of anyone.

More and more small drops of water came out of the ground and headed straight for Vein's body. It was then that his eyes turned blue as well.

" WITNESS MY FULL POWER!" A blood chilling voice shouted from Nautilus's mouth. Leviathan!"

Every drop of water headed to a specific spot. Then the water slowly began to form what looked like a serpent from the water. The serpent had a long tail, a big head, lots of large jaws made of water, and two soulless white eyes. The creature also had eight large claws on its serpent body. The serpentine of water snarled at Vein and bared its watery fangs at him. Vein however still showed no signs of fear staring at the great big monster.

" Defeating this creature will be no great hoax," Vein thought too himself. " All I have to do is—no! No, no, no, I've got to get out of here! Bat's Call!"

Vein's body began to change. First his skin became covered in short brown fur, his arms being transformed into giant bat wings, pointy black ears sticking out of his head, fangs coming out his teeth, and red eyes replacing his amber ones."

Vein flapped his wings, he took to the air, and then he quickly fled away from Nautilus and his massive watery creation.

" Get back here you coward! Leviathan,go!"

The large watery creation screeched before it charged for Vein's bat body and destroyed building after building. The creations mouth was behind Vein and nearly clasped his legs, but failed when the speed of Vein increased.

" Drats!" Nautilus being annoyed shouted. " I almost had him! (quick to calm down; calmed down) Oh well. Maybe I should make sure Sherry and the rest of her friends are alright. I have a feeling they could use my help."

###

Vein found exactly what he was looking for: all four of his crewmates badly injured from facing Victor with pools of blood on, under them.

Vein—son of the great demon lord—he would make sure his crew never died. He picked up Leroy and used his breath of his late father too feel Leroy of his unconscious and pain, but still couldn't save him from feeling weak.

" W-who did this to you?" Vein said with tears of worry nearly dripping from his eyes.

" Captain Vein, it was the demonic hunter Victor L. Grim, captain. I'm sorry Captain Vein...I've failed you."

Vein desperately shaked Leroy's shoulders while tears came from his eyes. " Don't say stuff like that! You were just following the orders of an incoherent captain like me."

" Can you save us, Captain?"

" Yes. I'll take you back to the ship. The rest of our crewmates will give each and every one of you medical attention. And I promise you: Victor the demonic hunter shall pay with every last drop of his blood." Vein picked up Leroy's and Akane's bodies with his right hand, and then he picked up Sonia and Erik with his left hand. Vein then proceeded to carry them back to their ship.

" I promise you tomorrow will be sunny." Vein said with a look of anger on his face.

###

" My name is Karenten. I fight the strongest pirates. However, I insist all my fights be one-on-one."

Supaiku grabbed his stomach. Sherry and Fletcher stepped back. Through his clothes blood was staining his tunic. It hurt like wasps in his interior and stinging his heart. Sherry quickly took Supaiku's clothes off, showing his beige spongy skin shimmering in the cold wind, and she licked him. All the medicine in her tongue stopped the hemorrhaging.

" This is the late effects of your fight with Zoro. I'm sorry, Supaiku, but you can't fight."

" I have to fight..." Supaiku clutched Sherry's left shoulder. His eyes were glowing red; yellow irises around the pupils and small yellow eyes. Supaiku was showing the inner fishman side to Sherry. " Get away from me! I will fight everyone that stands in my way of becoming the greatest swordsman! I am a fishman, the strongest of the ocean. Nothing can stop me-ACK!"

Supaiku lost consciousness and tumbled next to Yokai. Sherry sighed outward. " Fletcher, tell the weirdo we agree to his demands. But tell him he will only fight three of us."

Fletcher smiled and nodded his head. " Okay."

" At least with three the odds are we can still survive." Sherry's ears twitched. She heard something, the sound of bones colliding. She turned around and saw Christopher and Dorobou in a fist fight, sighed again. " I stand corrected. We only have Fletcher to rely on."

" We accept your fight conditions."

" I'm glad you see things my way," Karenten said. " Which one will step into the fight first?"

" Me!" Dorobou and Christopher both raised their hands at the same time. Dorobou and Christopher looked awful. Blood was trickling down Dorobou's nose with a small cut in his right ear, and Christopher's right eye was swollen black. " Pick me! Me!"

" I pick the ginger one."

" Yes," Dorobou said. " Watch how real fighters brawl, toad boy."

" It's Toad Prince!" Christopher exclaimed. " Toad Prince Christopher, asshole!"

Dorobou dropped his giant rock connected to a long chain. He twirled his chain around in a swirling motion. Two kunai knives appeared out of Karenten's sleeves. Karenten dropped the knife in his right arm, the handle too stiff for his hand to grasp, and he raised the other knife to his nasal. Dorobou and Karenten's gaze was entwined until Dorobou swung his rock at Karenten. Karenten ducked under the rock and pushed it away with the back side of his knife.

" How did he do that?" Dorobou thought. Dorobou pulled his chain and rock back into his arms. When the rock returned to Dorobou he swung it around like a hammer and with the momentum of a swirling vortex. Dorobou launched his rock towards Karenten again. Karenten stood still, Fletcher couldn't even see his attack, he stepped back as the rock crashed through the boards. Dorobou swung his chain again and again at Karenten. Each time Dorobou swung his rock Karenten either moved away from it at the last second or pushed it away by stabbing the side of the rock. Karenten ended the fight sticking his knife into the hole of Dorobou's chain and heaved. Dorobou's hands wouldn't let go of his chain. His hands oozed with blood, his face looked like an angry red fox trying to escape from a bear trap, he wouldn't let go of his chain.

" I am the squirrel...swallowing the snake." Karenten grabbed the chain with one hand and moved back. He grabbed the knife off the ground and jabbed it with the other knife. Karenten bent both knives into the holes, Dorobou's pain couldn't be measured to a silly tug-of-war game, but at last Karenten won the battle of brawn with brass and Dorobou's chain flew to Karenten. Karenten stood still as the smooth side of the rock nearly went into his face, he jumped upwards and kicked the chains away. Dorobou's weapon splashed into the ocean.

" Why did you do that to my weapon?" Dorobou shouted.

" Your clumsy hands didn't belong with such small hands. You lost your weapon and it became mine. I do with it what I want."

" Bullshit! That chain didn't belong to you! I made it! I made it so I could protect my aunt and my cousins! People use to very friendly to us. Then people started to care more about money. Medicine cost more, food cost more, even air cost more. I needed it to tell people they can't swindle us!"

" Do you tell me you had tough times. I was born with tough times." Karenten raised the right side of his mask up. Two scars lined apart were on his cheeks. Something started to squirm inside the scar. One moment it was two scars lined diagonally, the next Dorobou saw the inside of his cheek as his cheek burned away. Dorobou could even see the right side of his teeth in his hideous transformation. " I am at my wits end with pain. I have felt every pain a boy shouldn't. I felt the burns of a hot stoove, poison in the cow's udders, lighting enticing to the eyes. If you want to call this bullshit, go ahead. I will not be insulted for being hurt."

Karenten covered his mask over his face. Dorobou pulled three coins from his pockets and showed them together with his fingers. Dorobou spun around and threw his coins at Karenten. The coins were slow. A gun would be more convenient. Dorobou did nothing but bitch about how money was always an issue when he was growing up, so why did he waste every penny he made against people. Karenten stomped his right foot into the ship and pulled a floorboard out. He grabbed the board, hitting the coins away. Dorobou threw more coins at Karenten. Karenten threw something small of his own at Dorobou's coins.

Nails.

The nails from the boards he threw at the coins. The coins dropped. Dorobou threw every piece of change he had. Karenten pulled a third knife out of his pouch. He deflected every coin, appearing in every direction the coins were moving, and blocked them.

" He's good," Sherry thought. " I never seen Dorobou so angry." Dorobou ran out of coins to throw. All he had left was his bow. Dorobou clapped his hands together, electriity exploding from inside his fingertips, he pulled his hands away and a long bow appeared. Dorobou pulled on the bow and an arrow fired towards Karenten's heart. Karenten jumped up and kicked the arrow towards Dorobou, hitting him in his heart!

Blood gushed from Dorobou's mouth. Dorobou felt his strength growing weaker. It didn't made any sense. The woman said these arrows couldn't harm a fly. Dorobou closed his fist so he could punch Karenten in that mask of his, but Karenten swerved and chopped on Dorobou's back. Dorobou almost thought Karenten's hands were sharp knives. Dorobou, more exhausted than he ever was, picked up the other knife Karenten dropped before their battle began. Dorobou turned around and raised his knife to his face, his reflection showing his eyes in the small blade.

" I would be careful with that," Karenten snayed in a cold voice. " It's bad for little boys to run with knives."

Dorobou let out a strong yell before he ran at Karenten and swung his knife at him. Dorobou swung the little blade faster than his chain. Karenten blocked the first strike. The second strike Dorobou punched Karenten's face before he could block and slashed his torso. Karenten's quick reactions saved him from what would be his death. He leaped back and then he pulled on his clothes. A small cut was showing in his properly made purple clothes. Karenten was infuriated.

" I was planning on doing the honorable thing." Karenten clenched his hands. Dorobou stood straight with one hand raising his knife and the other a clenched fist for pummeling. " I was reserving this technique for someone not you. Someone who manipulates good people to do evil deeds. Your worst nightmares can't compare to these horrors." A small box fell from Karenten's clothes. This box had two symbols on it. One was words written in red that spelled Angel. The other was written in white and spelled Shinigami. " This was made by the prognosticator's of rituals. You will plunge into a world of total darkness no one can find. One cut from this instrument of death and you will be nothing! The Box of the Black Effigy!"

The lid of the box slid open as Karenten pronounced it's name. From the inside of the box a element of doom emerged. A small ball of light shaped like a clown with bluish white flames emerged. It swing and sway in the sky with it's friends, smaller balls of blue light. Dorobou wasn't going to fall to the temptation of the flames dancing around like little sprites. Dorobou cried aloud for his attack against Karenten, but mystic links of chains cuffed around Dorobou's arms and legs.

" Dorobou!" Sherry shouted. Dorobou couldn't move his arms or his legs. His whole body was paralysed. These cufflinks weren't ordinary cufflinks. They were made of some kind of strange power. Dorobou couldn't see Karenten now, only the silhouette of him. In his silhouette he was holding a katana. Sure enough when Karenten stepped out of the silhouette there was a katana shimmering and a white handle. " Dorobou!"

Sherry tried running to Dorobou to help him. She agreed that Dorobou would fight alone, but she never said anything about alienating him when his life was on the line. Sherry was usually a coward who didn't like fighting. What urged her to go up to Karenten and fight him was beyond her. Sherry's sharp teeth, wide eye axis, hunched down and lunged towards Karenten! Someone appeared in front of Sherry and she felt sharp pain in her torso as someone propelled her into the mast. Sherry was back into her hybrid form and Fletcher slammed his hands beside her.

" Don't do it, Sherry. This is Dorobou's fight...not ours."

Karenten threw a punch faster than any punch the crew ever saw. The blow connected into Dorobou's face and pushed him to the ground. Karenten tried hitting Dorobou with another punch. Dorobou got back on his feet before the fist ruptured the floorboards. Dorobou tried hitting Karenten with all his strength, but he didn't have enough strength. He was immobilized. Karenten hit Dorobou with an uppercut sending him flying into the air, quickly jumped into the air, and brought a fisted hammer down on Dorobou's back sending him to the ground hard.

" He's killing him!" Sherry shouted. " How can you let a member of our crew get hurt?"

" I gave him my word we would fight with honor," Fletcher said. " I never go back on my word."

" What about Dorobou? Are you just going to let him die?" Fletcher looked into Sherry's sad, sad eyes. A small tear dripped from her cheeks. She didn't even notice she was crying. " He needs us."

Fletcher couldn't do anything. Karenten put Dorobou back on his feet. Karenten grabbed the hilt of his sword with both hands and raised the shaft. " There must always be a punishment for losing," he said. Karenten touched Dorobou's chest as he pressed the tip of his sword into Dorobou's chest. A small sliver of blood dripped on the floor. Karenten almost swung his sword upward, but he saw something distracting. Behind Dorobou he saw a splendor scar; a katana shimmering just like his. A brave soldier was heading his way and he was going to fight him.

" Step away from my nakama." A person kept repeating that word. It started as a discordant for his actions, then it grew into a jarring demand. Karenten saw another member of Fletcher's crew. The young one with the brown hair.

" You can't help your friend," Karenten said. " We agreed to fight fair."

" First of all, Dorobou is not my friend. I hate him more than I hate everyone else on this crew. Second, you talk about honor and fighting fair, but you use dark tools to restrict your opponents. That's not fighting fair. You're just a coward...a coward. I'm not just going to stand here and let a coward like you kill someone who didn't deserve to lose. My name is Christopher. Christopher Darts. I only serve the strongest monarchs." Christopher swung his sword left and right, then thrust it towards Karenten.

" Do you expect to beat me unlike your crewmate?"

" No...I'm going to do the thing no one on this crew can do because they're all too soft. I'm going to kill you."


	21. Chapter 21

Christopher and Karenten engaged in sword-to-sword combat. Karenten didn't know how much training Christopher had, but ever since Karenten was young the only way to survive was sword skills only. Christopher's long tongue slithered out of his mouth and licked the sweat off his face.

Christopher dashed towards Karenten holding his sword by his left side. Christopher slashed his sword down at Karenten. Karenten however jumped out of the way before she was sliced in half by the sword. She then punched Christopher in his right cheek.

Christopher stumbled back. Karenten charged at Christopher swinging her sword around. Christopher had to watch his legwork. At the last plausible moment came he tripped her. He leaned down and kicked her leg. She fell into the wood. She got back up and charged again at Christopher. Christopher blocked it with his sword. Christopher quickly kicked her right shin. Karenten howled from the pain.

" Christopher is amazing," Sherry said.

" What's so great about him?" Dorobou asked. " He fights just like everyone else. Bold and with a sword."

Karenten jumped back from Christopher. She opened her box and unleashed dozens of glowing shackles that moved towards him. Christopher wasn't captured so easily by this trick. He dodged to the left and to the right. His foot skidded and he fell to the floor. But by falling he avoided one of Karenten's shackles.

" I understand what your power is," Christopher smirked. " You made us believe that your box had the power to enchain your foes. But one of the cuffs had an arrow in the shackle. It was done sloppily. You are without your perks."

" And you use a Devil Fruit. That sounds like a perk to me considering you wouldn't be even half the fighter without it."

The excitement helped Christopher breathe. Karenten jumped towards Christopher. Christopher used a sword technique that emphasized drawing, striking Karenten, and re-sheathing his sword in a single motion. Christopher sliced the fabric of her right hand.

Christopher dashed towards Karenten like a duck flying over the ground. Karenten raised her sword over her left shoulder, and hacked her sword at Christopher. Christopher wasn't there. He was two feet off the ground, sword in his hand, and he slammed the sword against Karenten! Karenten quickly raised her sword and blocked his sword slash. She slashed her sword in a wide arc. Christopher rolled away from Karenten and launched his slashing sword downward. The sword collided into Christopher's sword. With dexterity Karenten twirled Christopher's sword around and launched it into the air.

" So when are you going to kill me?" The ninja smirked. " I'm just dying to know."

" Hush little puppy. All will happen in due time."

Christopher didn't like Karenten's demeanor. It was over cocky with a hint of temerity. She tightened her fingers around her katana and slashed her sword at Christopher. Long vertical lights of razor blue wind cut Christopher's right shoulder, left temple, and right side of his head. Christopher's hemorrhaging would slow him down and give Karenten time to attack.

Karenten attacked with a flurry of jabs. Christopher used his tongue, pushed himself off, and slid around Karenten. Karenten clumsily swung the area trying to slash Christopher's arm off. Nothing. Christopher's action was almost instantaneous. He grabbed Karenten's mask. He pulled the mask off.

" No! I'm naked! Give me back my face!"

Although they couldn't see Karenten's face, they were distracted by her luscious lavender hair. She was very beautiful. Her eyes were a beautiful withering glare. She reminded Christopher of his stepmother but much more beautiful.

" I knew something about your vindication didn't sound right. So you are really a girl?"

" I am a boy. My parents raised me to be a boy and I will always be a boy."

With quick hand movements, speed neither Sherry nor Dorobou could compare too, Karenten moved towards Christopher with incredible movement. As she closed in on Christopher, he stood still. She punched Christopher with as much furry of a wild cat. The pain hurt, but Christopher didn't give her the satisfaction of fighting back.

" Why won't you fight back?"

" I can't hurt a girl with too much pride. That would be the same as fighting an eight your old kid."

Karenten may not know about boy, but she knew how to be mad at them. She lost her parents because of men like Christopher. She was vengeful to all boys for it. Karenten unsheathed a small blade from her pouch and cut Christopher's right cheek. Blood ran in rivulets down his cheek.

" Why is Christopher just letting himself be beaten?" Dorobou said. " Does he have no strength?"

" He doesn't want to hurt her because he doesn't want to scar her self-pride. It's called not being selfish. You could learn from him."

" I'm not selfish."

Karenten punched Christopher's face for the sixth or seventh time. All this fighting was tiresome. She jumped back. She opened her small box. The small ball of light shaped like a crown with bluish white flames emerged. The mystic links of chains cuffed around Christopher's arms and legs.

" Sacred Arrows!"

Hundreds of small arrow-like yellow light fired towards Christopher. Sherry hurried towards Christopher to save him. Her sense of dignity took over. The arrows struck Christopher in his stomach. Sherry was frightened. A tear trickled from her eye sockets.

" Is Christopher..."

Fletcher was crying. He put his hand on his chest, there was pain, but it was nothing to the pain of seeing his nakama die.

" Christopher..."

Dorobou remembered all the fights he had with Christopher. They were always fighting about which one was stronger than the other. The times they pressed faces together, they made fun of each other, and how he missed it.

" Christopher..."

Sherry remembered the night Christopher and Fletcher and her had yesterday. The time Fletcher got drunk and kissed her. She laughed calmly, her face leaking with tears thinking about how Fletcher proposed to him instead of her. She had a handful of anger.

" _Why are you leaving us? Why did you have to let her hurt you? Our crew needs you more than anything._"

Christopher fell to the floor. Karenten looked down. She remembered how he wouldn't fight her. Mixed feelings were fuming inside her. She took these vexing feelings on Christopher; kicked him in the stomach and shouted.

" Fool! Rot on the floor where you belong!"

" You monster!" Sherry screamed. " How can you do that to someone?"

" I won. You think his death is something tragic. We're all going to die. I'm going to die, you're going to die, and your friends are going to die. This is a transformative time for both of us. Use this pain to get you stronger. Pain is the only means of strength. Now bring on your next fighter. "

" I don't think so."

Karenten remembered that overweening voice. She turned around, Christopher standing. Christopher's skin glowing red, he licked his snot with his toad tongue.

" How is this possible?" Karenten screamed.

" It's my Devil Fruit. I moved my organs around to another part of my body; someplace your arrows didn't hit. You may call my Devil Fruit a weakness but it's become a part of me. And like me it has a mind of its own, and you just made it angry."

Karenten was only daunted for a second by Christopher's sudden appearance. But like everything is was a progress bringing with it the amelioration of her fighting. The sky rumbled as dark clouds swerved over her.

" What's happening?"

" I am about to use my ultimate move. A move that dissolve anything that comes in its path."

The sky rumbled again. White light rayed over her. Christopher's forehead discharged smoke, and his arms blew purple smoke. Christopher rolled his tongue out of his mouth. On his tongue a giant S was tattooed and glowing red.

" Fist of the Devouring Smog!"


End file.
